Christian fiction; Families -- Fiction; Love stories
At four o'clock came Graham with the car and a load of long linen
dust-cloaks and veils. The Hollisters donned them and bestowed
themselves where they were told. The servant stowed away the wraps and
suitcases; Star mounted the seat beside Harley, and they were ready.
They turned to look back at the barn as the car started. The old
servant was having a little trouble with the big door, trying to shut
it. "That door is a nuisance," said Graham as they swept away from the
curb. "It must be fixed. It is no fit door for a barn anyway." Then
they curved up around Allister Avenue and left the barn far out of
sight.
They were going across country to the Graham home to pick up Elizabeth.
It was a wonderful experience for them, that beautiful ride in the late
afternoon; and when they swept into the great gates, and up the broad
drive to the Graham mansion, and stopped under the porte-cochère, Mrs.
Hollister was quite overcome with the idea of being beholden to people
who lived in such grandeur as this. To think she had actually invited
their son to dine in a barn with her!
Elizabeth came rushing out eagerly, all ready to start, and climbed in
beside Carol. Even George, who was usually silent when she was about,
gave her a grin of welcome. The father and mother came out to say
good-by, gave them good wishes, and declared they were perfectly happy
to leave their daughter in such good hands. Then the car curved about
the great house, among tennis courts, green-houses, garage, stable, and
what not, and back to the pike again, leaping out upon the perfect road
as if it were as excited as the children.
Two more stops to pick up George, who was getting off early, and
Shirley, who was through at five o'clock, and then they threaded their
way out of the city, across the ferry, through another city, and out
into the open country, dotted all along the way with clean, pretty
little towns.
They reached a lovely grove at sundown and stopped by the way to have
supper. Graham got down and made George help him get out the big
hamper.
There was a most delectable lunch; sandwiches of delicate and unknown
condiments, salad as bewildering, soup that had been kept hot in a
thermos bottle, served in tiny white cups, iced tea and ice-cream
meringues from another thermos compartment, and plenty of delicious
little cakes, olives, nuts, bonbons, and fruit. It seemed a wonderful
supper to them all, eaten out there under the trees, with the birds
beginning their vesper songs and the stars peeping out slyly. Then
they packed up their dishes and hurried on their beautiful way, a
silver thread of a moon coming out to make the scene more lovely.
Doris was almost asleep when at last they began to hear the booming of
the sea and smell the salt breeze as it swept back inland; but she
roused up and opened wide, mysterious eyes, peering into the new
darkness, and murmuring softly: "I yant to see ze osun! I yant to see
the gate bid watter!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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