Chapter XI: A Drive to the Beach

By the time Mr. Morgan, grandma, Cousin Mary and Emily, returned from their drive, Milly's room looked as neat as possible. Hannah seemed almost as pleased as Milly; and when the little girl, in an ecstasy of delight kissed her thanks, she said, encouragingly:

"It's a picture to see. If I were you, I'd keep it just so."

To complete her pleasure, grandma and Mrs. Roby came in, on their way to their own chambers, and praised the little girl for her own self-denial in staying to arrange her room rather than to go out for a drive.

Every drawer and shelf were opened for inspection, and received great praise.

The next morning, at the breakfast table, Mr. Morgan, after a roguish glance at Milly, said:

"This afternoon, I propose to take you all to the seashore. We must have dinner at twelve, so that we may have time enough for a ramble on the beach."

"Can we all go in one carriage?" asked mamma.

"I will provide seats enough," Uncle George answered, adding in a mysterious tone, "If there are any persons here who have been housecleaning of late, those persons are especially invited."

"I know who you mean, papa," said Emily, laughing. "You mean Milly."

"I mean any little girl who is trying hard to correct her faults."

Milly's face crimsoned with pleasure, while her poor little heart fluttered and beat fast with love to everybody.

"It's a beautiful world to live in," she said to herself, running to bring her uncle's daily paper from the door, "and God is just as good to me as he can be."

During the forenoon, Mrs. Ward, a relative of Mrs. Morgan, called to see grandma, who was a kind of aunt to her.

"We have been anticipating a visit to the beach for a long time," she said, when she heard of the contemplated drive. "I'll go directly to my husband's office, and ask him to go this afternoon. Why can't we have a fish chowder on the beach?"

"We can. I'll go at once, and tell cook to pack whatever will be necessary."

"I'll carry a hamper of crackers, cake and coffee, with milk for the children. Ernest will be crazy with delight, when I tell him. We'll meet at Ruggles street, where we turn off for the beach. Whoever gets there first will wait for the other. By the way, I'll send over directly, if William can't go; but I hope he can. Good-by, till afternoon."

Everything turned out in the most satisfactory manner. Mr. Ward declared himself delighted with the project, said it was just the day for the shore and for chowder. The hampers were packed, not forgetting a great iron pot and the potato-cutter. On reaching Ruggles street, Mr. Morgan saw Mr. Ward looking out of a carriage which contained his wife, his sister, and his three children.

Mr. Ward called out as he turned his horses out of the street, "We've only been here five minutes. All right. Drive on."

When, after a delightful ride, the party came in sight of the ocean, with the foamy billows, rolling up, and breaking on the sand, Milly could not restrain her delight. She laughed and clapped her hands exclaiming:

"I love you, good old ocean!"

Emily, who was much less enthusiastic, gazed at her cousin with some surprise, asking, at last:

"Why do you love it, Milly?"

"Because it's so blue and so beautiful. Oh you don't know at all by seeing it now, how the water looks at sea! The waves are as high as mountains, and instead of looking quiet and blue like this, it is dark green. The ship goes up and down this way. You couldn't help loving the sea, if you had sailed on it as long as I have."

"Uncle George," whispered the happy child, catching him by the coat as he was helping her out last of all, "I've got a basket for mosses. Please, don't tell anybody when you see me picking them."