The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-04-15
APRIL FOOLS DAY AT ELMSGLADE
BY S. ANNIE FROST

tlaJ the olSu Oh hafcn IS my n1Q6U1oLu
birthday? Probably l shall not see
another one, and / want all my family
to celebrate this. VIII you come for a
week. I want you all to be here on
the 9th or 28th, and to stay some days
into April. [ believe [ can hope to see
ell excepting Sydney. Lovingly ever,
GRANDMOTHER.
It was Just what I wanted, this little
holiday, for I had been hard at work
all winter, and was feeling very lonely,
very homesick, and dreary, when the
invitation came like glimpse Of sun
shine
knew who would be there. Five
daughters, and their husbands, with,
oh SO many children, most of them
young ladies and gentlemen 7, the on
ly child of sixth daughter, who had
Joined my father years ago in the better
world, and Sylvia.
| must tell you of Sylvia, the only
one probably Of grandmother's guests
who was not q child or grandchild.
She was grandma's companion. No
body knew much about her previous
history, excepting that her mother had
been one of grandma's scholars in the
days when she kept little school be
fore grandpa came a-wooing.
think there was not one OF the
grandchildren who would not gladly
have lived at Elmsglade, and been
grandma's companion, but she would
have it so
"Glve me your company and your
love. Come to me when You can, but
never feel Obliged to stay she would
say. "Sylvia will live with me till she
marri es or | die. =
So it was Sylvia who wrote grandma s
etters, who read to her, and performed
the thousand lItsle acts of service old
people constantly require. Becaus e
she was poor, Sylvia received salary:
because grandma liked pretty things
about her, Sylvia accepted the ward
robe she provided, and was always ex-
quIsitely dressed. She was very beau
tlfuL Not merely pretty face, that
depended upon color and dress for
much of its effect, but a rarely beauti-
ful face, full Of animation one moment.
yet as lovely IN repose the next. The
pending expression was bright and low
GUS, for Sylvia's was a happy nature
but at times there would come to her
great brown eyes q wistful look, sad
and tender, as If some sweet memory
OF sorrow or unattainable future iov
was In her heart
We all loved her. Maude, stately
brunette, our queen of cousins, patron
lied her; Susie, the youngest Of us all.
worshipped her; and all the cousins
between gave her their love, unmixed
with jealousy, for we knew she was
grandma's comfort. without deprivinc
rs of one loving throb of her true
heart
| fairly counted the hours in my lit
tie boarding honse room until [ could
pack vallse for a weeks soiourn at
Elmsglade, and ] took an early break
fast and early train on the 18th, draw
ing long, free breath of delight as
the IRON horse snorted its way out of
the depot
Such houseful as | found. Maude.
Claire, and Percy. with Aunt Alice and
Uncle Joe, Aunt Margery's twin girls
and only son, with Uncle Harry prom
lsed for the birthday; Aunt Mary.
with seven olive branches, and Uncle
Walter coming with Uncle Harry:
Aunt Sue and Uncle Lewis, with their
their only child, Hester and Aunt
Polly, with ten children, and. grandma
SAID, Uncle Phil, the biggest baby of
the lot /, all alone, but welcomed
heartily We were ali there, as grand
ma SAID, all excepting Sydney.
1t was sad gap we knew for grand
ma. She had never had but one son.
and he died one year after his marriage.
KILLED by lightning stroke. Three
days after his wife kissed her baby boy
once, and then joined her husband,
leaving the hour old child to grandma.
He was her idol. She loved us all.
but she worshipped Sydney, her child
OF children, her darling of darlings. We
were too young when he was at home
70 speculate about the peculiarities
that made Older people sigh for the
BOY future; but looking back through
the vista of years, [ can understand
why older people trembled for SYDNEY.
FAR rs girl, frail as flower, heauti
III as dream, this orphan boy inherit
ed from his father an artists soul.
from his mother a sensitive, delicate
body. He was genius, living an
ideal life, INDUCED in every fancy. and
causing no other anxiety than that
called forth by his feeble health. His
mothers large fortune made him
independently wealthy when he came
of age, for grandma would have no
part of it touched for his support or
education in boyhood. He was an art
lst from babyhooG / think he was
seeking for souls or fairies in the flow
ers when his baby hands pulled them
INTO shreds, his great blue ewes look
ing mournfully aud wlstfullv at every
torn petal. Before he could speak. he
wonld SIT for hours Watching clouds.
raindrops, birds, any of the beauties
Nature showered upon Elmsglade.
[ think the greatest struggle of his
petted life was his choice of a profession.
Should he devote himself to music.
he must give up his hopes of being
painter; if he elected to be a painter.
where were his dreams of one day rival
ing the master musicians of the past ?
Painting finally carried the day. vet to
hear Sydney touch piano or violin
made one sigh for him to spend his
lfe in music.
Need l say he was the idol of aunts
and cousins? Everybody joined the
compact to spoil Sydnny, but he would .
lot be spoiled He was hard working 4
and lndolent by turns, studying as
eagerly as professor to-day, lying on
lie grass all day tomorrow. His col |