Elsie and the Raymonds

Lulu Raymond was the person addressed. She and Max had just alighted from the Woodburn family carriage—having been given permission to do a little shopping together—and she had...

“So we all think, and everybody says she has a remarkably young face. But it will be her fiftieth birthday, and we, her children, want to do her unusual honor. Of course, as you...

Her mother greeted her with a smile and a cheery “Good-morning, my child. You have slept sweetly ever since I have been awake to watch you, and I have had the best night’s rest...

“Yes, love, we are both here,” he answered in tender tones. Then bending over her and pressing a tender kiss upon her cheek: “Do you know how rich you are, my darling?”

The celebration of Grandma Elsie’s approaching semi-centennial was now the most important event in the near future, the principal theme of conversation in the connection, and gr...

Max and Lulu were on the veranda at Woodburn,—its only occupants. The western sky was all aglow with the gorgeous hues of a brilliant sunset; rich masses of purple, gold, amber,...

The captain opened his secretary, took a letter from one of its pigeon-holes, glanced over the contents, restored the missive to its place, then turned to Max, who stood patient...

“Perhaps he is going to tell me what he and Maxie were talking about last night,” she said to herself. “Likely it was something of importance to keep them so long. I wonder what...

They all enjoyed their trip to the city the next day, Grace perhaps more than any of the others. She was allowed to buy everything on her list, and some others she thought of wh...

“Well, it is nice to be going to eat in a house again and no strangers by,” remarked Lulu when they had seated themselves at the table in Mrs. McAlpine’s sitting-room, and the c...

“No, mother, dear, not half so heavy: the cruelest part of it is seeing you suffer—you, who are as good and pure as an angel!” returned the girl passionately.

Marian McAlpine was setting the breakfast-table for the Raymonds, when Lulu came into the room looking bright and fresh in one of the new dresses her father had directed to be m...

Tea was not quite ready when they arrived at their boarding-house, and they sat on the porch while waiting for it, Captain Raymond looking over the daily paper just taken from t...

On leaving the tea-table Max and Lulu had seated themselves in the porch, along with their father, and just as he went in search of his paper they were joined by Albert Austin.

“I suppose you want to finish your letter now, Lulu?” the captain said, as they entered his bedroom, which they made their sitting-room also when desirous of being quite to them...

“Would it?” he said, smiling at her eagerness. “I should think that would depend on how we celebrate. What would you two like to do to show your patriotism on the nation’s birth...

“Toward evening, daughter; I can’t set the hour,” he answered cheerily. “Better not expect us too soon, lest it should make you feel lonely and disappointed. Your better plan wi...

The speaker was an elderly man, in his shirt sleeves, and with a pipe in his mouth, who stepped into the porch and took a seat near Captain Raymond as he made the remark.

Mr. Short took great interest in the plans and preparations for celebrating the Fourth, and was quite anxious that “the captain’s young folks” should have their every wish in re...

The little party gathered on the porch again after tea, and amused themselves with conversation while waiting till the setting of the sun, and the fading away of the twilight sh...

It was near the middle of July, and his arrangements had been made for starting upon the homeward journey in a day or two, when early one morning he, Max, Mr. Short and the Aust...