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_A LIST OF THE ELSIE BOOKS_

BY

MARTHA FINLEY


    ELSIE DINSMORE
    ELSIE’S HOLIDAYS AT ROSELANDS
    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 WOODBURN
    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 LOVED ONES

    BY
    MARTHA FINLEY

    [Illustration]

    NEW YORK
    DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
    PUBLISHERS




    Copyright, 1903,

    By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY.

    Published, November, 1903.




ELSIE AND HER LOVED ONES




CHAPTER I


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“How about the expense?” queried Chester.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“If you will trust me to take care of her she can go home with us in
the yacht and live at Ion till you come for her,” said Zoe. Then,
turning to Ned, who was there with his pet: “And I make you the same
offer for your Tee-tee,” she added, “for, of