But Molly was learning submission and contentment with her lot, and would
smilingly reply that she considered herself highly favored in being able
to see so much, since there were millions of people even in our own land,
who could not visit the Exhibition at all.
One morning, early in the season, when as yet the crowd was not very
great, the whole family had gone in a body to Machinery Hall to see the
Corliss engine.
They were standing near it, silently gazing, when a voice was heard in the
rear.
"Ah, ha! ah, ha! um h'm; ah, ha! what think ye o' that now, my lads? is it
worth looking at?"
"That it is, sir!" responded a younger voice in manly tones, full of
admiration, while at the same instant, Elsie turned quickly round with the
exclamation, "Cousin Ronald!"
"Cousin Elsie," he responded, as hand grasped hand in cordial greeting.
"I'm so glad to see you!" she said. "But why did you not let us know you
were coming? Did you not receive my invitation?"
"No, I did not, cousin, and thought to give you a surprise. Ah, Travilla,
the sight of your pleasant face does one good like a medicine.
"And these bonny lads and lasses; can they be the little bairns of eight
years ago? How they have grown and increased in number too?" he said,
glancing around the little circle.
He shook hands with each, then introduced his sons, two tall, well built,
comely young men, aged respectively twenty and twenty-two, whom he had
brought with him over the sea.
Malcom was the name of the eldest, the other he called Hugh.
They had arrived in Philadelphia only the day before, and were putting up
at the Continental.
"That will not do at all, Cousin Ronald," Elsie said when told this. "You
must all come immediately to us, and make our house your home as long as
you stay."
Mr. Travilla seconded her invitation, and after some urging, it was
accepted.
It proved an agreeable arrangement for all concerned. "Cousin Ronald" was
the same genial companion that he had been eight years before, and the two
lads were worthy of their sire, intelligent and well-informed, frank,
simple hearted and true.
The young people made acquaintance very rapidly. The Exposition was a
theme of great and common interest, discussed at every meal, and on the
days when they stayed at home to rest; for all found it necessary to do so
occasionally, while some of the ladies and little ones could scarcely
endure the fatigue of attending two days in succession.
Then through the months of July and August, they made excursions to
various points of interest, spending usually several days at each;
sometimes a week or two.
In this way they visited Niagara Falls, Lakes Ontario, George and
Champlain, the White Mountains, and different seaside resorts.
At one of these last, they met Lester Leland again. The Travillas had not
seen him for nearly a year, but had heard of his welfare through the
Lelands of Fairview.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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