The Project Gutenberg eBook, Elsie at Home, by Martha Finley

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Title: Elsie at Home

Author: Martha Finley

Release Date: January 12, 2006 [eBook #17496]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ELSIE AT HOME***

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ELSIE AT HOME

by

MARTHA FINLEY

Author of "Elsie Dinsmore," "Elsie's Vacation," etc.

Special Authorized Edition

[Illustration]

M. A. Donohue & Co
Chicago New York
Copyright, 1887.
by
Dodd, Mead and Company
All rights reserved.
Made in U.S.A.

ELSIE AT HOME.

CHAPTER I.

The shades of evening were closing in upon a stormy March day; rain and
sleet falling fast while a blustering northeast wind sent them sweeping
across the desolate-looking fields and gardens, and over the wet road
where a hack was lumbering along, drawn by two weary-looking steeds; its
solitary passenger sighing and groaning with impatience over its slow
progress and her own fatigue.

"Driver," she called, "are we ever going to arrive at Fairview?"

"One o' these days, I reckon, ma'am," drawled the man in reply. "It's
been a dreadful tedious ride for you, but a trifle worse for me, seein' I
get a lot more o' the wet out here than you do in thar."

"Yes," she returned in a tone of exasperation, "but I am a weak, ailing
woman and you a big, strong man, used to exertion and exposure." The
sentence ended in a distressing fit of coughing that seemed to shake her
whole frame.

"I'm right sorry fur ye, ma'am," he said, turning a pitying glance upon
her, "but just hold on a bit longer and we'll be there. We're e'n a'most
in sight o' the place now. Kin o' yourn and expecting ye, I s'pose?"

"It is the home of my daughter--my only child," she returned, bridling,
"and it will be strange indeed if she is not glad to see the mother whom
she has not seen for years."

"Surely, ma'am; and yonder's the house. We'll be there in five
minutes--more or less."

His passenger looked eagerly in the direction indicated.