"Edward, you have not told us yet what you wish to be," said his sister Elsie.
"My inclination," he answered in grave, earnest tones, "is to take my father"s place in every way possible, first in the care of my darling, precious mother," taking her hand and lifting it to his lips, "after that in cultivating the Ion plantation and making myself a good, upright, useful church-member and citizen."
"A worthy ambition, my boy," the mother said with emotion; "my strong desire is that you may follow as closely as possible in the footsteps of your honored father. I never knew a better man, in the pulpit or out of it. His was a truly Christian manhood, and, like his Master, he went about doing good."
"Then, mother, with your approval my choice is made; and with your permission I shall spend some time in an agricultural college, after finishing the course where I am."
"You shall do as you wish; you shall have every advantage I can give you. My other boys also, if they will improve them."
"Your girls, too, mamma?" asked Rosie.
"Yes, indeed," mamma answered, bestowing a smile and a kiss upon the young questioner.
At that moment the tea-bell summoned them to their evening meal. Edward took his father"s seat at the table, his father"s place in asking a blessing upon the food.
As they left the table they perceived that the rain had ceased; the clouds had broken away from the setting sun, and its red light streamed over the dark waters like a pathway of fire.
They were all gathered on the porch, watching, as usual, the changing beauty of the sea and the clouds, when a young man, in the undress uniform of a lieutenant in the army, opened their gate, and came with a brisk, manly step up the walk leading to the house.
As he drew near, he lifted his military cap, bowed low to the ladies, then, stepping upon the porch, handed a card to Mrs. Travilla.
"Donald Keith," she read aloud, and holding out her hand with a sweet, welcoming smile, "How do you do, cousin?" she said; "I am very glad to see you. But to which branch do you belong?"
"I am a younger brother of the Reverend Cyril Keith, lately married to a Miss Conly," the young officer answered, as he took the offered hand.
"He wrote me of your great kindness to him, and when I learned, a few hours since, who were the occupants of this cottage, I felt that I must come and thank you. I hope I do not intrude, cousin?"
"No, indeed; we are always ready to welcome relatives. Now let me introduce these other cousins--my boys and girls."
The young man spent the whole evening in the company of these new-found relatives, and went away highly delighted with them all.
He had several weeks" furlough, was staying at a hotel near by, and promised himself great enjoyment in the society of the dwellers in the cottage.
And they were pleased with him.
"He seems a very nice, clever fellow, mother," Edward remarked.
"Yes," she said, "he has very agreeable manners and talks well; and knowing that he comes of a G.o.dly race, I hope we shall find him in all respects a suitable companion for you and your sisters. I am glad of his coming for your sakes, for I fear you may have felt the want of young society."
"Oh, no, mamma," they all protested, "we could not have enjoyed ourselves better. It has been so nice to have you quite to ourselves."
CHAPTER XIX.
"A mother is a mother still, The holiest thing alive."
--_Coleridge._
The next morning"s mail brought a letter from Mr. Dinsmore, announcing his speedy coming with his wife, father, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Allison, and several of their children.
"There"s an end to our good times!" sighed Violet.
"Shall you be so very sorry to see your grandpa?" her mother asked with a slight smile, knowing that her father was dearly loved by all her children, and by none more than by Violet herself.
"Oh no, mamma; nor grandma, nor any of them," was the quick reply; "only it was so nice to have you so entirely to ourselves."
"Haven"t you enjoyed it too, mamma?" asked several voices, while every face turned eagerly and inquiringly to hers.
"Yes, indeed, my darlings," she said; "and yet so dearly do I love my father that my heart bounds at the very thought that he will be with me again in a few hours."
"Then, mamma, we are all glad for you," Elsie said: Violet adding, "and for ourselves, too; for it is nice to have grandpa and grandma with us; and Aunt Adelaide also; she is always so kind."
"Very different from Aunt Louise," remarked Edward. "Who would ever think they were sisters! Isa and Virginia are quite as unlike, too, though they are sisters. I hope Aunt Louise and her old-maid daughter won"t visit us this summer!"
"Edward!" his mother said in a tone of reproof.
"Excuse me, mother," he said; "but if I dislike them, it is because they have always treated you so badly."
"They have never done me any injury, my son," she answered, with gentle gravity, "and I would not have you feel unkindly toward them; much less am I willing to hear you speak of them as you did just now. Virginia is not an old maid, and if she were I should be sorry to have you apply that epithet to her."
"She is several years older than I am, mother," he said, blushing.
"About three; and you are only a boy."
Edward felt this as the most cutting rebuke his gentle mother had ever administered to him, for he had begun to think of himself as a man, old enough and strong enough to be his mother"s stay and support, and a guide to his younger brothers and sisters.
But sensible that he had deserved the reproof, he bore it in silence; yet could not rest until seizing an opportunity to speak to her without being overheard by others, "Dear mamma," he whispered, looking beseechingly into her eyes, "will you not forgive my thoughtless, uncharitable speech of this morning?"
"Certainly, my dear boy," she answered with one of her sweetest smiles, "and I trust you will try to cultivate more kindly feelings toward your grandpa"s sister and niece, for his sake, and because it is a Christian duty."
Mr. Dinsmore and his party arrived that afternoon, and the next day were followed by Mrs. Conly and Virginia.
"We thought we would give you a surprise," was the greeting of the former: "the heat and threats of yellow fever drove us North. I scattered the younger children about among other relatives, leaving several at your house, Adelaide, then came on here with Virgie, knowing that Elsie would of course have room enough for us two."
"We will find room for you, Aunt Louise," Elsie said with pleasant cordiality, and trying hard to feel rejoiced at their coming.
A very difficult task, as they never were at the slightest pains to make themselves agreeable, and the house was already comfortably filled.
Edward waited only to shake hands hastily with his aunt and cousin, then slipped away for a solitary stroll on the beach while he should fight down his feelings of disgust and irritation at this unwelcome and unwarrantable invasion of his mother"s dwelling.
He had asked that morning if he might invite his college chum, Charlie Perrine, to spend a week or two with him, and had received a prompt and kind permission to do so. It seemed hard enough to have to entertain, instead, these relatives, between whom and himself there had always been a cordial dislike; for from early childhood he had perceived and strongly resented the envy, jealousy and ill-will indulged in by them toward his mother.
He paced hurriedly to and fro for some minutes, striving, with but indifferent success, to recover his equanimity, then stood still, gazing out to sea, half inclined to wish himself on board an outward-bound vessel in the offing.
Presently a hand took quiet possession of his arm, and turning his head he found his mother standing by his side.
"I am grieved to see my boy"s face so clouded," she said in her sweet and gentle tones.