The Project Gutenberg EBook of Grandmother Elsie, by Martha Finley

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Title: Grandmother Elsie

Author: Martha Finley

Release Date: February 2, 2005 [EBook #14883]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRANDMOTHER ELSIE ***

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GRANDMOTHER ELSIE

A SEQUEL TO
"ELSIE'S WIDOWHOOD"

By MARTHA FINLEY

COMPLETE AUTHORIZED EDITION

"The web of our life is of a mingled yarn,
good and ill together."--Shakespeare

Published by arrangement with
Dodd, Mead and Company

A.L. BURT COMPANY

_PUBLISHERS_

New York Chicago

1882,
BY
DODD, MEAD & COMPANY

1910,
BY
CHARLES B. FINLEY

GRANDMOTHER ELSIE

CHAPTER I.

"Every state,
Allotted to the race of man below,
Is in proportion, doom'd to taste some sorrow."
--_Rowe_.

The Ion family were at home again after their summer on the New Jersey
coast.

It was a delightful morning early in October: the dew-drops on the still
green grass of the neatly kept lawn sparkled in the rays of the newly
risen sun; the bright waters of the lakelet also, as, ruffled by the
breeze, they broke gently about the prow of the pretty row-boat moored to
the little wharf; the gardens were gay with bright-hued flowers, the trees
gorgeous in their autumnal dress.

But though doors and windows were open, the gardener and his assistants at
work in the grounds, there seemed a strange quiet about the place: when
the men spoke to each other it was in subdued tones; there was no
sound--as in other days--of little feet running hither and thither, nor
of childish prattle or laughter.

Two horses stood ready saddled and bridled before the principal entrance
to the mansion, and Mr. Horace Dinsmore was pacing the veranda to and fro
with slow, meditative step, while Bruno, crouching beside the door,
followed his movements with wistful, questioning eyes, doubtless wondering
what had become of his accustomed merry, romping play-mates.

A light step came down the hall, and a lady in riding hat and habit
stepped from the open