THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 A LIST OF THE ELSIE BOOKS AND 
 OTHER POPULAR BOOKS 
 
 BY 
 
 MARTHA FINLEY 
 
 ELSIE DINSMORE. 
 
 ELSIE'S HOLIDAYS AT ROSELANDS. 
 ELSIE'S GIRLHOOD. 
 
 ELSIE'S WOMANHOOD. 
 ELSIE'S MOTHERHOOD, 
 
 ELSIE'S CHILDREN. 
 ELSIE'S WIDOWHOOD. 
 GRANDMOTHER ELSIE. 
 
 ELSIES NEW RELATIONS. 
 ELSIE AT NANTUCKET. 
 THE TWO ELSIES. 
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 ELSIE'S FRIENDS AT WOODBURN. 
 CHRISTMAS WITH GRANDMA ELSIE. 
 ELSIE AND THE RAYMONDS. 
 ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE RAYMONDS. 
 ELSIE'S VACATION. 
 
 ELSIE AT VIAMEDE. 
 ELSIE AT ION. 
 
 ELSIE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. 
 ELSIE'S JOURNEY ON INLAND WATERS. 
 ELSIE AT HOME. 
 ELSIE ON THE HUDSON. 
 ELSIE IN THE SOUTH. 
 ELSIE'S YOUNG FOLKS. 
 ELSIE'S WINTER TRIP. 
 ELSIE AND HER LOVED 'ONES. 
 
 MILDRED KEITH. 
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 MILDRED'S MARRIED LIFE. 
 MILDRED AND ELSIE. 
 MILDRED AT HOME. 
 
 MILDRED'S BOYS AND GIRLS. 
 MILDRED'S NEW DAUGHTER. 
 
 CASELLA. 
 
 SIGNING THE CONTRACT AND WHAT IT COST. 
 THE TRAGEDY OF WILD RIVER VALLEY. 
 OUR FRED. 
 
 AN OLD-FASHIONED BOY. 
 WANTED. A PEDIGREE. 
 
 THE THORN IN THE NEST.
 
 ELSIE'S 
 KITH AND KIN 
 
 BY 
 
 MARTHA FINLEY 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 
 
 PUBLISHERS
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1886, 
 BY DODD, MEAD & COMPANY 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1914, 
 BY CHARLES B. FINLEY
 
 ELSIES KITH AND KIN. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 " O married love! each heart shall own.- 
 
 "Where two congenial souls unite, 
 Thy golden chains inlaid with down, 
 Thy lamp with heaven's own splendor bright.** 
 
 LANGHORNB. 
 
 "THERE, there, little woman ! light of my eyes, 
 and core of my heart ! if you don't stop this 
 pretty soon, I very much fear I shall be com 
 pelled to join you," Edward Travilla said, be 
 tween a laugh and a sigh, drawing Zoe closer to 
 him, laying her head against his breast, and kiss 
 ing her tenderly on lip and cheek and brow. " I 
 shall begin to think you already regret having 
 staid behind with me." 
 
 "No, no, no!" she cried, dashing away her 
 tears, then putting her arms about his neck, and 
 returning his caresses with ardor of affection. 
 *' Dear Ned, you know you're more than all the 
 rest of the world to your silly little wife. But it
 
 4 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 seems lonely just- at first, to have them all gone at 
 once, especially mamma ; and to think we'll not 
 see her again for months ! I do believe you'd 
 cry yourself, if you were a girl." 
 
 " Altogether likely," he said, laughing, and 
 giving her another hug ; "but, being a man, it 
 wouldn't do at all to allow my feelings to over 
 come me in that manner. Besides, with my dar 
 ling little wife still left me, I'd be an ungrateful 
 wretch to repine at the absence of other dear 
 ones." 
 
 "What a neat little speech, Ned!" she ex 
 claimed, lifting her head to look up into his face, 
 and laughing through her tears for her eyes had 
 filled again. " Well, you know I can't help feel 
 ing a little lonely and sad just at first ; but, for 
 all that, I wouldn't for the world be anywhere 
 else than here in your arms : " and with a sigh of 
 content and thankfulness, she let her pretty head 
 drop upon his breast a gain. 
 
 " My darling ! may it ever be to you the hap 
 piest place on earth ! God helping me, I shall 
 always try to make it so," he said, with a sudden 
 change to gravity, and in low, moved tones. 
 
 "My dear, dear husband!" she murmured, 
 clinging closer to him. 
 
 Then, wiping her eyes, "I sha'n't cry any 
 more ; for, if I'm not the happiest woman in the 
 world, I ought to be. And what a nice time we 
 shall have together, dear Ned ! each wholly de
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 voted to the other all winter long. I have it all 
 planned out : while you are out about the planta 
 tion in the mornings, I'll attend to my housekeep 
 ing and my studies ; and in the afternoons and 
 evenings, after I've recited, we can write 
 our letters, or entertain ourselves and each other 
 with music or books ; you can read to me while I 
 work, you know." 
 
 " Yes : a book is twice as enjoyable read in 
 that way sharing the pleasure with you," he 
 said, softly stroking her hair, and smiling down 
 into her eyes. 
 
 " Especially if it is a good story, or a bit of 
 lovely poetry," she added. 
 
 "Yes," he said: "we'll have both those in 
 turn, and some solid reading besides." 
 
 " I don't like solid reading," she returned, 
 with a charming pout. 
 
 "One may cultivate a taste for it, I think," he 
 answered pleasantly. 
 
 " But you can't cultivate what you haven't 
 got," she objected. 
 
 "True enough," he said, laughing. "Well, 
 then, we'll try to get a little first, and cultivate it 
 carefully afterward. I must go now, love," he 
 added, releasing her: "the men need some di 
 rections from me, in regard to their work." 
 
 "And the women some from me," said Zoe. 
 " Oh ! you needn't laugh, Ned," shaking her fin 
 ger at him, as he turned in the door-way to give
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 her an amused glance: " perhaps some of these 
 days you'll find out that I am really an accom 
 plished housewife, capable of giving orders and 
 directions too." 
 
 ' k No doubt, my dear ; for I am already proud 
 of you in that capacity," he said, throwing her 
 a smiling kiss, then hurrying away. 
 
 Zoe summoned Aunt Dicey, the housekeeper, 
 gave her orders for the day, and the needed sup 
 plies from pantry and storeroom, they went to 
 the sewing-room, to give some directions to Chris 
 tine and Alma. 
 
 She lingered there for a little, trying on a 
 morning-dress they were making for her, then re 
 paired to her boudoir, intent upon beginning her 
 studies, which had been rather neglected of late, 
 in the excitement of the preparations for the de 
 parture of the greater part of the family for a 
 winter at Viamede. 
 
 But she had scarcely taken out her books, 
 when the sound of wheels on the avenue attracted 
 her attention ; and glancing from the window, she 
 saw the Roselands carriage draw up at the front 
 entrance, and Ella Conly alight from it, and run 
 up the veranda steps. 
 
 " There, I'll not do much studying to-day, I'nj 
 afraid," said Zoe, half aloud; " for, even if it's 
 only a call she has come for, she'll not leave 
 under an hour." 
 
 She hastily replaced the books in the drawer
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 7 
 
 from which she had taken them, for she had a 
 feeling, only half acknowledged even to herself, 
 of repugnance to having Ella know of her stud 
 ies, Ella, who had graduated from boarding- 
 school, and evidently felt herself thoroughly edu 
 cated, and hurried down to meet and welcome 
 her guest. 
 
 " I told Cal and Art, I thought you'd be sure 
 to feel dreadfully lonely to-day, after seeing 
 everybody but Ned start off on a long journey, 
 and so I'd come and spend the day with you," 
 said Ella, when the two had exchanged kisses, 
 and inquiries after each other's health. 
 
 "It was very kind and thoughtful in you," 
 returned Zoe, leading the way into the parlor usu 
 ally occupied by the family, where an open wood 
 fire blazed cheerily on the hearth. 
 
 "Take this easy-chair, won't you?" she said, 
 wheeling it a little nearer the grate ; " and Dinah 
 shall carry away your wraps when it suits you to 
 doff them. I wish cousins Cal and Art would in 
 vite themselves to dine with us too." 
 
 "Art's very busy just now," said Ella: 
 "there's a good deal of sickness, and I don't 
 believe he's spent a whole night at home for the 
 last week or more." 
 
 "Dear me! I wouldn't be a doctor for any 
 thing, nor a doctor's wife ! " exclaimed Zoe. 
 
 "Well, I don't know : there's something to be 
 said on both sides of that question," laughed
 
 8 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 Ella. "I can tell you, Art would make a mighty 
 good husband ; and it's very handy, in case of 
 sickness, to have the doctor in the house." 
 
 " Yes ; but, according to your account, he's 
 generally somewhere else than in his own house," 
 returned Zoe playfully. 
 
 Ella laughed. " Yes," she said, " doctors do 
 have a hard life ; but, if you say so to Art, he 
 alwaj^s says he has never regretted having chosen 
 the medical profession, because it affords so 
 many opportunities for doing good. It's plain 
 he makes that the business of his life. I'm 
 proud of Art. I don't believe there's a better 
 man anywhere. I was sick last summer, and 
 you wouldn't believe how kindly he nursed me." 
 
 " You can't tell me any thing about him that I 
 should think too good to believe," said Zoe. 
 " He's our family doctor, you remember ; and, of 
 course, we are all attached to hirn on that ac 
 count, as well as because of the relationship." 
 
 " Yes, to be sure. There, Dinah, you may 
 carry away my hat and cloak," Ella said, divest 
 ing herself of them as she spoke, " but leave 
 the satchel. I brought my fancy-work, Zoe : one 
 has to be industrious now, as Christmas is coming. 
 I decided to embroider a pair of slippers for each 
 of my three brothers. Walter does not expect 
 to get home ; so I made his first, as they had to 
 travel so far. I'm nearly done with Art's, and 
 then I have Cal's to do."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Oh, how pretty!" exclaimed Zoe, examin 
 ing the work: " and that's a new stitch; won't 
 you teach it to me? " 
 
 " Yes, indeed, with pleasure. And I want 
 you to teach me how to crochet that lace I saw 
 you making the other day. I thought it so 
 pretty." 
 
 The two spent a pleasant morning chatting 
 together over their fancy-work, saying nothing 
 very wise, perhaps, but neither did they say any 
 thing harmful : an innocent iest now and again, 
 something usually laudatory about some mem 
 ber of the family connection, and remarks and 
 directions about their work, formed the staple of 
 their talk. 
 
 " Oh ! how did it come that you and Ned staid 
 behind when all the rest went to Viamede for the 
 winter? " asked Ella. 
 
 " Business kept my husband, and love for him 
 and his society kept me," returned Zoe, with a 
 look and smile that altogether belied any suspi 
 cion Ella might have had that she was fretting 
 over the disappointment. 
 
 " Didn't you want to go? " 
 
 " Yes, indeed, if Edward could have gone with 
 me ; but any place with him is better than any 
 other without him." 
 
 "Well, I don't believe I should have been 
 willing to stay behind, even in your place. I've 
 always had a longing to spend a winter there
 
 10 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 visiting my sister Isa, and my cousins Elsie and 
 Molly. Cal and Art say, perhaps one or both 
 of them may go on to spend two or three weeks 
 this winter ; and in that case I shall go along." 
 
 " Perhaps we may go at the same time, and 
 what a nice party we will make!" said Zoe. 
 " There," glancing from the window, " I see my 
 husband coming, and I want to run out and 
 speak to him. Will you excuse me a moment? " 
 and scarcely waiting for a reply, she ran gayly 
 away. 
 
 Meeting Edward on the threshold, " I have no 
 lessons to recite this time," she said ; " but yoq 
 are not to scold, because I've been prevented 
 from studying by company. Ella is spending 
 the day with me." 
 
 ' ' Ah ! I hope you have had a pleasant time 
 together not too much troubled by fear of a 
 lecture from the old tyrant who hears your les 
 sons," he said laughingly, as he bent his head 
 to press a kiss of ardent affection upon the rosy 
 lips she held up to him. 
 
 " No," she laughed in return : " I'm not a bit 
 afraid of him." 
 
 Zoe had feared the hours when Edward was 
 unavoidably absent from her side would be very 
 lonely now while the other members of the Ion 
 family were away ; but she did not find it so ; 
 her studies, and the work of making various 
 pretty things for Christmas gifts, keeping he* 
 very busy.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 11 
 
 And, when he was with her, time flew on very 
 rapid wings. She had grown quite industrious, 
 and generally plied her needle in the evenings 
 while he read or talked to her. But occasionally 
 he would take the embroidery, or whatever it 
 was, out of her hands, and toss it aside, saying 
 she was trying her eyes by such constant use ; 
 and, besides, he wanted her undivided atten 
 tion. 
 
 And she would resign herself to her fate, noth 
 ing loath to be drawn close to his side, or to a 
 seat upon his knee, to be petted and caressed like 
 a child, which, indeed, he persisted in calling her. 
 
 This was when they were alone : but very fre 
 quently they had company to spend the day, 
 afternoon, or evening ; for Ion had always been 
 noted for its hospitality ; and scarcely a week 
 passed in which they did not pay a visit to the 
 Oaks, the Laurels, the Pines, or Roselands. 
 
 Also a brisk correspondence was carried on 
 with the absent members of the family. And 
 Zoe's housekeeping cares and duties were just 
 enough to be an agreeable variety in her occu 
 pations : every day. too, when the weather per 
 mitted, she walked or rode out with her husband. 
 
 And so the time \ assed quite delightfully for 
 the first two months after the departure of the 
 Viamede party. 
 
 It was a disappointment that Edward found 
 himself too busy to make the hoped-for trip to
 
 12 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 Viamede at Christmas-time ; yet Zoe did not 
 fret over it, and really enjoyed the holidays ex 
 tremely, giving and receiving numerous hand 
 some presents, and, with Edward's assistance, 
 making it a merry and happy time for the ser 
 vants and other dependants, as well as for the 
 relatives and friends still in the neighborhood. 
 
 The necessary shopping, with Edward to help 
 her, and the packing and sending off of the 
 Christmas-boxes to Viamede, to the college-boys, 
 Herbert and Harold, and numerous other 
 relatives and friends far and near, Zoe thought 
 altogether the most delightful business she had 
 ever taken in hand. 
 
 A very merry, happy little woman she was 
 through all those weeks and months, Edward as 
 devoted as any lover, and as gay and light- 
 hearted as herself. 
 
 " Zoe, darling," Edward said one day at din 
 ner, " I must drive over into our little village of 
 Union by the way, do you know that we have 
 more than a hundred towns of that name in these 
 United States ? ' ' 
 
 " No, I did not know, or suspect, that we had 
 nearly so many," she interrupted, laughing: 
 "no wonder letters go astray when people 
 are not particular to give the names of both 
 county and State. But what were you going to 
 say about driving over there? " 
 
 44 1 must see a gentleman on business, who will
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 13 
 
 be there to meet the five-o'clock train, and leave 
 on it ; and, in order to be certain of seeing him, I 
 must be there at least fifteen or twenty miautes 
 before it is due. Shall I have the pleasure of 
 my wife's company in the carriage? I have 
 ordered it to be at the door by fifteen or twenty 
 minutes past four, which will give us plenty of 
 time, as it is an easy matter to drive from bere 
 to Union in ten minutes." 
 
 " Thank you," she said. " I accept the irrvi- 
 tation with pleasure, and promise to be ready at 
 the minute." 
 
 "You are the best little woman about that," 
 he returned, with an appreciative look ^nd smi'e. 
 " I don't remember that you have ever yet kept 
 me waiting, when told beforehand at whi". v . timf I 
 intended to start." 
 
 "Of course not," she said, with a pleased 
 laugh; "because I was afraid, if I did, I 
 shouldn't be invited so often : and I'm s-wa3'S 
 w glad to go with you." 
 
 " Not gladder than I am to have you, ' he 
 said, with a very lover-like glance and smile. 
 "I always enjoy your society, and am always 
 proud to show my friends and acquaintances 
 what a dear little wife I have. I dare say I'm 
 looked upon as a very fortunate fellow in that 
 respect, and sometimes envied on account of 
 having drawn such a prize in the matrimonial 
 lottery."
 
 14 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 They had left the table while he spoke, and 
 with the last words he passed his arm round her 
 waist. 
 
 " Dear me, Ned, what a gallant speech ! " she 
 said, flushing with delight; "you deserve a re 
 ward : " and she held up her face for a kiss. 
 
 "I am overpaid," he said, when he had be 
 stowed it. 
 
 " In spite of the coin being such as you have 
 a right to help yourself to whenever you will? " 
 she returned with a merry laugh. " O Ned, my 
 lover-husband! " she added, laying her head on 
 his breast, " I am so happy in belonging to you, 
 and I can never love you enough for all your 
 goodness to me! " 
 
 " Darling, are you not equally good and loving 
 to me?" he asked in tender tones, and holding 
 her close. 
 
 " But I owe every thing to you," she re 
 sponded with emotion. "If you had not come 
 to my aid when nry dear father was taken from 
 me, what would have become of me, a mere 
 child, without a near relative in the world, alone 
 and destitute in a foreign land? " 
 
 " But I loved you, dearest. I sought my own 
 happiness, as well as yours, in asking you to be 
 my wife. So you need never feel burdened by 
 tta idea that you are under any special obliga- 
 'yon to me, to whom you are the very sunshine 
 of life."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 15 
 
 " Dear Ned, how very kind in you to say so," 
 she responded, gazing with ardent affection into 
 his eyes ; " but it isn't burdensome to be under 
 obligation to you, any more than it is a trial to 
 be ruled by you," she added, with playful ten 
 derness ; " and I love to think of all your good 
 ness to me." 
 
 It was five minutes past four by Zoe's watch, 
 and she just about to go to her dressing-room to 
 put on her hat and cloak, when visitors were an 
 nounced, some ladies who always made a 
 lengthened call at Ion ; so she at once resigned 
 herself to the loss of her anticipated drive with 
 her husband. 
 
 " O Ned ! " she whispered in a hasty, vexed 
 aside, " you'll have to go alone." 
 
 "Yes, dear," he returned; "but I'll try to 
 get back in time to take you a drive in the other 
 direction." 
 
 They stepped forward, and greeted their guests 
 with hospitable cordiality. 
 
 They were friends whose visits were prized 
 and enjoyed, though their coming just at this 
 time was causing Zoe a real disappointment. 
 However, Edward's promise of a drive with him 
 at a later hour so far made amends for it, that 
 she could truthfully express pleasure in seeing 
 her guests. 
 
 Edward chatted with them for a few moments, 
 then, excusing himself cm the plea of business
 
 16 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 that could not be deferred, left them to be enter 
 tained by Zoe, while he entered his waiting car 
 riage, and went on his way to the village, who"* 
 he expected to meet his business acquaintance.
 
 CHAPTER H. 
 
 M The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness.' 1 
 SHAKSPEAKE. 
 
 EDWARD had met and held his desired inter 
 view with his business acquaintance, seen him 
 aboard his train, and was standing watching it as 
 it steamed away and disappeared in the distance, 
 when a feminine voice, close at hand, suddenly 
 accosted him. 
 
 "O Mr. Travilla! how are you? I consider 
 myself very fortunate in finding you here." 
 
 He turned toward the speaker, and was not 
 too greatly pleased at sight of her. 
 
 "Ah! good-evening, Miss Deane," he said, 
 taking her offered hand, and speaking with gen 
 tlemanly courtesy. " In what can I be of ser 
 vice to you ? ' ' 
 
 "By inviting me to Ion to spend the night," 
 she returned laughingly. " I've missed my train, 
 and was quite in despair at the thought of stay 
 ing alone over night in one of the miserable little 
 hotels of this miserable little village. So I was 
 delighted to see your carriage standing there, 
 and you yourself beside it ; for, knowing you to 
 
 17
 
 18 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 be one of the most hospitable of men, I am sure 
 you will be moved to pity, and take me home 
 with you." 
 
 Edward's heart sank at thought of Zoe, but, 
 seeing no way out of the dilemma, " Certainly," 
 he said, and helped his self-invited guest to a 
 seat in his carriage, placed himself by her side, 
 and bade the coachman drive on to Ion. 
 
 u Now, really, this is very good in you, Mr. 
 Travilla," remarked Miss Deane: "there is no 
 place I like better to visit than Ion, and I begin 
 to think it was rather a fortunate mishap miss 
 ing my train." 
 
 "Very unfortunate for me, I fear," sighed 
 Edward to himself. ' ' The loss of her drive will 
 be a great disappointment to Zoe, and the sight 
 of such a guest far from making it up to her. 
 I am thankful the visit is to be for only a 
 night." 
 
 Aloud he said, " I fear you will find it less 
 pleasant than on former occasions, in fact, 
 rather lonely ; as all the family are absent 
 spending the winter at Viamede, my mother's 
 Louisiana plantation except my wife and 
 myself." 
 
 " Ah ! but your wife is a charming little girl, 
 I never can think of her as a woman, you 
 know, and you are a host in yourself," re 
 turned the lady laughingly. 
 
 Zoe 'a callers had left ; and she, having donned
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KUF. 19 
 
 hat and cloak, not to keep her husband waiting 
 a single moment, was at the window watching for 
 his coming, when the carriage came driving up 
 the avenue, and drew up at the door. 
 
 She hurried out, expecting to find no one there 
 but himself, and to be at once handed to a seat 
 in the vehicle, and the next minute be speeding 
 away with him, enjoying her drive all the more 
 for the little disappointment that had preceded 
 it. 
 
 What, then, was her chagrin to see a visitor 
 handed out, and that visitor the woman for whom 
 she had conceived the most violent antipathy ! 
 
 "Miss Deane, my dear," Edward said, with 
 an entreating look at Zoe, which she did not see, 
 her eyes being at that instant fixed upcn the face 
 of her uninvited and unwelcome guest. 
 
 " How do you do, my dear Mrs. Tra villa? I 
 hope you are glad to see me ? ' ' laughed the in 
 truder, holding out a delicately gloved hand : 
 " your husband has played the Good Samaritan 
 to me to-night saving me from having to stay 
 in one of those wretched little hotels in the vil 
 lage till two o'clock to-morrow morning." 
 
 " I am in usual health, thank you. Will you 
 walk in?" returned Zoe in a freezing tone, and 
 utterly ignoring the offered hand. "Will you 
 step into the parlor? or would you prefer being 
 shown to your room first ? ' ' 
 
 "The latter, if you please," Miss Deane
 
 20 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 answered sweetly, apparently quite unaware that 
 Zoe's manner was in the least ungracious. 
 
 " Dinah," said Zoe, to a maid-in- waiting, 
 " show Miss Deane to the room she occupied on 
 her last visit. Carry up her satchel, and see that 
 she has every thing she wants." 
 
 Having given the order, Zoe stepped out to the 
 veranda where Edward still was, having staid 
 behind to give directions in regard to the horses. 
 
 " Zoe, love, I am very sorry," he said, as the 
 man turned his horses' heads, and drove away 
 toward the stables. 
 
 " O Edward ! how could you? " she exclaimed 
 reproachfully, tears of disappointment and vexa 
 tion springing to her eyes. 
 
 "Darling, I really could not help it," he re 
 plied soothingly, drawing her to him with a 
 caress, and went on to tell exactly what had 
 occurred. 
 
 "She is not a real lady," said Zoe, " or she 
 never would have done a thing like that." 
 
 "I agree with you, love," he said; "but I 
 was sorry your reception of her was so extremely 
 ungracious and cold." 
 
 " Would you have had me play the hypocrite, 
 Ned? " she asked indignantly. 
 
 " No, Zoe, I should be very far from approv 
 ing of that," he answered gravely : " but while it 
 was right and truthful not to express pleasure 
 Which you did not feel, at her coming, you might,
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 21 
 
 on the other hand, have avoided absolute rude 
 ness ; you might have shaken hands with her, 
 and asked after her health and that of her 
 father's family." 
 
 " I treated her as well as she deserved ; and it 
 does not make her any the more welcome to me, 
 that she has already been the means of drawing 
 down upon me a reproof from my husband's 
 lips," Zoe said in tremulous tones, and turning 
 away from him with her eyes full of tears. 
 
 " My words were hardly intended as that, little 
 wife," Edward responded in a kindly tone, fol 
 lowing her into the hall, catching her in his 
 arms, and imprinting a kiss on her ruby lips. 
 
 " And I wanted my drive with you so badly," 
 she murmured, half hiding her face on his breast ; 
 " but she has robbed us of that, and O Ned! 
 is she to come between us again, and make us 
 quarrel, and be so dreadfully unhappy ?" Her 
 voice was full of tears and sobs before she had 
 ended. 
 
 " No, no ; I could not endure that any more 
 than you," he paid with emotion, and clasping 
 her very close : " and it is only for to-night you 
 will have to bear the annoyance of her presence ; 
 she is to leave in the morning." 
 
 " Is she? that is some comfort. I hope some 
 body will come in for the evening, and share with 
 us the infliction of her society," Zoe said, con 
 eluding with a forlorn attempt at a laugh.
 
 22 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Won't you take off that very becoming hat 
 and cloak, Mrs. Travilla, and spend the even 
 ing? " asked Edward playfully. 
 
 " Thank you. I believe I will, if you will ac> 
 company me to the dressing-room," she returned, 
 with a smiling look up into his face. 
 
 "That I will with pleasure," he said, "pro 
 vided you will reward me with some assistance 
 with my toilet." 
 
 ' ' Such as brushing your hair, and tying your 
 cravat? Yes, sir, I will : it's a bargain." 
 
 And so, laughing and chatting, they went up 
 to their own private apartments. 
 
 Half an hour later they came down again to 
 gether, to find Miss Deane in the parlor, seated 
 by a window overlooking the avenue. 
 
 " There's a carriage just drawing up before 
 your front entrance," she remarked : " the Rose- 
 lands family carriage, I think it is." 
 
 Zoe gave her husband a bright, pleased look. 
 It seemed her wish for an addition to their party 
 for the evening had been granted. 
 
 The next moment the room-door was thrown 
 open, and Dr. Conly and Miss Ella were announced. 
 
 They were cordially welcomed, asked to tea, 
 and staid the evening, greatly relieving Zoe in 
 the matter of entertaining her unwelcome guest, 
 who devoted herself to the doctor, and left Ed 
 ward to his wife and cousin, a condition of things 
 decidedly agreeable to Zoe.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 23 
 
 A little after nine the Roselands carriage was 
 announced ; and the doctor and Ella took their 
 departure, Edward and Zoe accompanying them 
 to the outer door. 
 
 The sky was black with clouds, and the wind 
 roaring through the trees on the lawn. 
 
 ".We are going to have a heavy storm, I 
 think," remarked Arthur, glancing upward: 
 "there is not a star to be seen, and the wind 
 blows almost a gale. I hope no patient of mine 
 will want the doctor very badly to-night," he 
 added with a slight laugh. " Step in out of the 
 wind, cousin Zoe, or you may be the very one 
 to send for me." 
 
 Doing as directed, "No, indeed," she said: 
 " I'm sure I couldn't have the heart to call any 
 body up out of a warm bed to face such a cutting 
 wind as this." 
 
 " No, no ; never hesitate when there is a real 
 necessity," he returned, speaking from his seat 
 in the carriage, where he had already taken his 
 place beside his sister, whom Edward had handed 
 in. " Good-night, and hurry in, both of you, 
 for my sake if not for your own." 
 
 But they lingered a moment till the carriage 
 turned, and drove swiftly down the avenue. 
 
 " I am so glad they came," remarked Zoe, as 
 Edward shut the door and locked it for the night. 
 
 " Yes," he said : " they added a good deal to 
 the pleasure of the evening. As we couldn't be
 
 24 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 alone together, three guests were more accept* 
 able than one." 
 
 "Decidedly; and that one was delighted, I'm 
 sure, to have an opportunity to exercise her con 
 versational gifts for the benefit of a single man 
 instead of a married one." 
 
 " Zoe, love, don't allow yourself to grow bitter 
 and sarcastic," Edward said, turning toward 
 her, laying a hand lightly, affectionately, upon 
 her shoulder, and gazing down into her eyes 
 with a look of grave concern. 
 
 She colored under it, and turned away with a 
 pout that almost spoiled the beauty of her fair 
 face. She was more than ever impatient to be 
 rid of their self-invited guest. 
 
 "She always sets Ned to scolding me," was 
 the bitter thought in her heart as she went slowly 
 back to the parlor, where they had left Miss 
 Deane, Edward following, sighing inwardly at 
 the change in his darling always wrought by that 
 unwelcome presence in the house. 
 
 "How the wind roars down the chimney!" 
 Miss Deane remarked as her host and hostess 
 re-entered the room, where she was comfortably 
 seated in an easy-chair beside the glowing grate. 
 " I fear to-morrow will prove a stormy day ; but 
 in that case I shall feel all the more delighted 
 with my comfortable quarters here, all the more 
 grateful to you, Mr. Travilla, for saving me from 
 a long detention In one of those miserable little
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 25 
 
 country taverns, where I should have died of 
 ennui." 
 
 " You seem kindly disposed, my dear madam, 
 to make a great deal of a small service," returned 
 Edward gallantly. 
 
 But Zoe said not a word. She stood gazing 
 into the fire, apparently lost in thought ; but the 
 color deepened on her cheek, and a slight frown 
 contracted her brows. 
 
 Presently she turned to her guest, saying cour 
 teously, " You must be weary with your journey, 
 Miss Deane : would you like to retire? " 
 
 "Thank you, I should," was the reply; and 
 thereupon the good-nights were said, and they 
 sought their respective rooms. 
 
 "You are not displeased with me, dear? " Zoe 
 asked, lifting her eyes inquiringly to her hus 
 band's face as she stood before their dressing- 
 room fire with his arm about her waist : ' ' you are 
 looking so very grave." 
 
 " No, dearest, I am not disposed to find fault 
 with you," he said, softly caressing her hair and 
 cheek with his disengaged hand; "though I 
 should be glad if you could be a trifle more 
 cordial to our uninvited guest." 
 
 " It's my nature to act just as I feel ; and, if 
 there's a creature on earth I thoroughly detest, 
 it is she!" returned the child- wife with almost 
 passionate vehemence. "I know she hates me, 
 for all her purring manner and sweet tones
 
 26 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 and words, and that she likes nothing better 
 than to make trouble between my husband and 
 me." 
 
 " My dear child, you really must try not to be 
 BO uncharitable and suspicious," Edward said in 
 a slightly reproving tone. " I do not perceive 
 any such designs or any hypocrisy in her conduct 
 toward you." 
 
 " No : men are as blind as a bat in their inter 
 course with such women ; never can see through 
 their designs ; always take them to be as sweet 
 and amiable as they pretend to be. It takes a 
 woman to understand her own sex." 
 
 "Maybe so," he said soothingly; "but we 
 will leave the disagreeable subject for to-night at 
 least, shall we not? " 
 
 " Yes ; and, oh, I do hope the weather to-mor 
 row will not be such as to afford her an excuse 
 for prolonging her stay ! ' ' 
 
 "I hope not, indeed, love," he responded; 
 "but let us resolve, that, if it does, we will try 
 to bear the infliction patiently, and give our self- 
 invited guest no right to accuse us of a lack of 
 hospitality toward her. Let us not forget or 
 disobey the Bible injunction, to ' use hospitality 
 one to another without grudging.' ' 
 
 "I'll try not to. I'll be as good to her as I can, 
 without feeling that I am acting insincerely." 
 
 " And that is all I ask, love. Your perfect 
 freedom from any thing approaching to deceit is
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AN9 SIN. 27 
 
 one of your greatest charms, in your husband's 
 eyes," he said, tenderly caressing her. " It 
 would, I am sure, be quite impossible for me to 
 love a wife in whose absolute truth and sincerity 
 I had not entire confidence." 
 
 "And you do love me, your foolish, faulty lit 
 tle wife? " she said, in a tone that was a mixture 
 of assertion and inquiry, while her lovely eyes 
 gazed searchingly into his. 
 
 " Dearly, dearly, my sweet! " he said, smiling 
 fondly down upon her. "And now to bed, lest 
 these bright eyes and rosy cheeks should lose 
 something of their brilliance and beauty." 
 
 " Suppose they should," she said, turning 
 slightly pale, as with sudden pain. " ONed ! if 
 I live, I must some day grow old and gray and 
 wrinkled, my eyes dim and sunken : shall you 
 love me then, darling? " 
 
 " Better than ever, love," he whispered, hold 
 ing her closer to his heart; "for how long we 
 shall have lived and loved together ! We shall 
 have come to be as one indeed, each with hardly 
 a thought or feeling unshared by the other."
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 " One woman reads another's character, without the 
 tedious trouble of deciphering." JONSON. 
 
 ZOE'S sleep that night was profound and re 
 freshing, and she woke in perfect health and 
 vigor of body and mind ; but the first sound that 
 smote upon her ear the dashing of sleet against 
 the window-pane sent a pang of disappoint 
 ment and dismay to her heart. 
 
 She sprang from her bed, and, running to the 
 window, drew aside the curtain, and looked out. 
 
 "O Ned ! " she groaned, "the ground is cov 
 ered with sleet and snow, about a foot deep, 
 I should think, and just hear how the wind 
 shrieks and howls round the house ! " 
 
 " Well, love," he answered in a cheery tone, 
 " we are well sheltered, and supplied with all 
 needful things for comfort and enjoyment." 
 
 " And one that will destroy every bit of my 
 enjoyment in any or all the others," she sighed ; 
 "but," eagerly and half hopefully, "do you 
 think it is quite certain to be too bad for her to 
 go?" 
 
 " Quite, I am afraid. If she should offer to 
 28
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 29 
 
 gp," he added mischievously, " we will not be 
 more urgent against it than politeness demands, 
 and, if she persists, will not refuse the use of 
 the close carriage as far as the depot." 
 
 " She offer to go ! " exclaimed Zoe scornfully : 
 " you may depend, she'll stay as long as she has 
 the least vestige of an excuse for doing so." 
 
 " Oh, now, little woman ! don't begin the day 
 with being quite so hard and uncharitable," Ed 
 ward said, half seriously, half laughingly. 
 
 Zoe was not far wrong in her estimate of her 
 guest. Miss Deane was both insincere and a 
 thoroughly selfish person, caring nothing for the 
 comfort or happiness of others. She had per 
 ceived Zoe's antipathy from the first day of their 
 acquaintance, and took a revengeful, malicious 
 delight in tormenting her ; and she had sufficient 
 penetration to see that the most effectual way to 
 accomplish her end was through Edward. The 
 young wife's ardent and jealous affection for her 
 husband was very evident ; plainly, it was pain to 
 her to see him show Miss Deane the slightest 
 attention, or seem interested in any thing she did 
 or said ; therefore the intruder put forth every 
 effort to interest him, and monopolize his atten 
 tion, and at the same time contrived to draw out 
 into exhibition the most unamiable traits in Zoe's 
 character, doing it so adroitly that Edward did 
 not perceive her agency in the matter, and thought 
 Zoe alone to blame. To him Miss Deane's be-
 
 30 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 havior appeared unexceptionable, her manner 
 most polite and courteous, Zoe's just the reverse. 
 
 It was so through all that day and week ; for 
 the storm continued, and the uninvited guest 
 never so much as hinted at a wish to leave the 
 shelter of their hospitable roof. 
 
 Zoe began each da}* with heroic resolve to be 
 patient and forbearing, sweet-tempered and po 
 lite, toward her tormentor, and ended it with a 
 deep sense of humiliating failure, and of having 
 lost something of the high esteem and admira 
 tion in which her almost idolized husband had 
 been wont to hold her. 
 
 Feeling that, more or less of change in her 
 manner toward him was inevitable ; less sure 
 than formerly of his entire approval and ardent 
 affection, a certain timidity and hesitation crept 
 into her manner of approaching him, even when 
 they were quite alone together ; she grew sad, 
 silent, and reserved : and he, thinking her sullen 
 and jealous without reason, ceased to lavish en 
 dearments upon her, and, more than that, half 
 unconsciously allowed both his looks and tones 
 to express disapprobation and reproof. 
 
 That almost broke Zoe's heart ; but she strove 
 to hide her wounds from him, and especially 
 from her tormentor. 
 
 The storm kept Edward in the house : at an 
 other time that would have been a joy to Zoe, 
 but now it only added to her troubles, affording
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 31 
 
 constant opportunity to the wily foe to carry out 
 her evil designs. 
 
 On the evening of the second day from the 
 setting in of the storm, Miss Deane challenged 
 Edward to a game of chess. He accepted at 
 once, and with an air of quiet satisfaction brought 
 out the board, and placed the men. 
 
 He was fond of the game ; but Zoe had never 
 fancied it, and he had played but seldom since 
 their marriage. 
 
 Miss Deane was a more than ordinarily skilful 
 player, and so was he ; indeed, so well matched 
 were they, that neither found it an easy matter 
 to checkmate the other : and that first game 
 proved a long one, so long that Zoe, who had 
 watched its progress with some interest in the 
 beginning, eager to see Edward win, at length 
 grew so weary as to find it difficult to keep her 
 eyes open, or refrain from yawning. 
 
 But Edward, usually so tenderly careful of 
 her, took no notice, indeed, as she said bitterly 
 to herself, seemed to have forgotten her exist 
 ence. 
 
 Still, it was with a thrill of delight that she at 
 length perceived that he had come off victorious. 
 
 Miss Deane took her defeat with very good 
 grace, and smilingly challenged him to another 
 contest. 
 
 " Rather late, isn't it? " he said with a glance 
 at the clock, whose hands pointed to half-past
 
 32 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 eleven. " Suppose we sign a truce until to-mor 
 row ? ' ' 
 
 " Certainly : that will be decidedly best," she 
 promptly replied, following the direction of his 
 glance. "I feel so fresh, and have enjoyed myself 
 so much, that I had no idea of the hour, and am 
 quite ashamed of having kept my youthful hostess 
 up so late," she added, looking sweetly at Zoe. 
 " Very young people need a large amount of 
 sleep, and can't keep up health and strength with* 
 out it." 
 
 " You are most kind," said Zoe, a touch of 
 sarcasm in her tones : " it must be a very sympa 
 thetic nature that has enabled you to remember 
 so long how young people feel." 
 
 A twinkle of fun shone in Edward's eyes at 
 that. 
 
 Miss Deane colored furiously, bade a hasty 
 good-night, and departed to her own room. 
 
 " That was a rather hard thrust, my dear," 
 remarked Edward, laughing, as he led the way 
 into their dressing-room ; " not quite polite, I'm 
 afraid." 
 
 " I don't care if it wasn't ! " said Zoe. " She 
 is always twitting me on my extreme youth." 
 
 "Sour grapes," he said lightly: "she will 
 never see twenty-five again, and would give a 
 great deal for your youth. And since you are 
 exactly the age to suit me, why should you care 
 a fig for her sneers ? ' '
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 33 
 
 "I don't, when I seem to suit you in all re 
 spects," returned Zoe with tears in her voice. 
 
 Her back was toward him ; but he caught sight 
 of her face in a mirror, and saw that tears were 
 also glistening in her eyes. 
 
 Putting his arm round her waist, and drawing 
 her to him, " I don't want a piece of perfection 
 for my wife," he said ; " she would be decidedly 
 too great a contrast to her husband : and I have 
 never yet seen the woman or girl I should be 
 willing to take in exchange for the one belonging 
 to me. And I'm very sure such a one doesn't 
 exist." 
 
 "How good in you to say it!" she said, 
 clinging about his neck, and lifting to his, eyes 
 shining with joy and love. " O Ned ! we were so 
 happy by ourselves ! " 
 
 " So we were," he assented, " and so we may 
 hope to be again very soon." 
 
 " Not so very, I'm afraid," she answered with 
 a rueful shake of the head ; " for just hark how 
 it is storming still ! " 
 
 "Yes; but it may be all over by morning. 
 How weary you look, love ! Get to bed as fast 
 as you can. You should not have waited for the 
 conclusion of that long game, that, I know, did 
 not interest you." 
 
 "I was interested for your sake," she said, 
 *' and so glad to see you win." 
 
 u "Wife-like," he returned with a smile, adding,
 
 34 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " It was a very close game, and you needn't be 
 surprised to see me beaten in the next battle." 
 
 "I'm afraid she will stay for that, even if the 
 storm is over," sighed Zoe. "Dear me! I 
 don't see how anybody can have the face to stay 
 where she is 'self -invited, and must know she 
 isn't a welcome guest to the lady of the house. 
 I'd go through any storm rather than prolong a 
 visit under such circumstances." 
 
 " You would never have put yourself in such a 
 position," Edward said. " But I wish you could 
 manage to treat her with a little more cordiality. 
 I should feel more comfortable. I could not 
 avoid bringing her here, as you know ; nor can I 
 send her away in such inclement weather, or, in 
 deed, at all, till she offers to go ; and your want 
 of courtesy toward her to put it mildly is a 
 constant mortification to me." 
 
 "Why don't you say at once that you are 
 ashamed of me?" she exclaimed, tears starting 
 to her eyes again, as with a determined effort she 
 freed herself from his grasp, and moved away to 
 the farther side of the room. 
 
 "I am usually very proud of you," he answered 
 in a quiet tone ; " but this woman seems to exert 
 a strangely malign influence over you." 
 
 To that, Zoe made no response ; she could not 
 trust herself to speak ; so prepared for bed, and 
 laid herself down there in silence, wiped away a 
 tear or two, and presently fell asleep.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 35 
 
 Morning brought no abatement of the storm, 
 and consequently no relief to Zoe from the an 
 noyance of Miss Deane's presence in the house. 
 
 On waking, she found that Edward had risen 
 before her ; she heard him moving about in the 
 dressing-room ; then he came to the door, looked 
 in, and, seeing her eyes open, said, "Ah, so you 
 are awake ! I hope you slept well ? I'm sorry 
 for your sake that it is still storming." 
 
 " Yes, I slept soundly, thank you ; and, as for 
 the storm, I'll just have to try to bear with it 
 and its consequences as patiently as possible," 
 she sighed. 
 
 " A wise resolve, my dear. I hope you will 
 try to carry it out," he returned. " Now I must 
 run away, and leave you to make your toilet, as 
 I have some little matters to attend to before 
 breakfast." 
 
 She made no reply ; and he passed out of the 
 room, and down the stairs. 
 
 " Poor little woman ! " he said to himself : " she 
 looks depressed, though usually she is so bright 
 and cheery. I hope, from my heart, Miss Deane 
 may never darken these doors again." 
 
 Zoe was feeling quite out of spirits over the 
 prospect of another day to be spent in society so 
 distasteful : she lay for a moment contemplating 
 it ruefully. 
 
 " The worst of it is, that she manages to make 
 me appear so unamiable and unattractive in
 
 36 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 my husband's eyes," she sighed to herself. 
 ''But I'll foil her efforts," she added, between 
 her shut teeth, springing up, and beginning her 
 toilet as she spoke : " he likes to have me bright 
 and cheery, and well and becomingly dressed, 
 and so I will be." 
 
 She made haste to arrange her hair in the 
 style he considered most becoming, and to don 
 the morning-dress he most admired. 
 
 As she put the finishing touches to her attire, 
 she thought she heard his step on the stairs, and 
 ran out eagerly to meet him, and claim a morning 
 kiss. 
 
 But the bright, joyous expression of her face 
 suddenly changed to one of anger and chagrin as 
 she caught the sound of his and Miss Deane's 
 voices in the hall below, and, looking over the 
 balustrade, saw them go into the library to 
 gether. 
 
 " She begins early ! It's a pity if I can't have 
 my own husband to myself even before break 
 fast," Zoe muttered, stepping back into the 
 aressing-room. 
 
 Her first impulse was to remain where she was ; 
 the second, to go down at once, and join them. 
 
 She hastened to do so, but, before she reached 
 the foot of the stairway, the breakfast-bell rang ; 
 and, instead of going into the library, she passed 
 on directly to the dining-room, and, as the other 
 two entered a moment later, gave Miss Deane a
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 37 
 
 cold " Good-morning," and Edward a half re 
 proachful, half pleading look, which he, however, 
 returned with one so kind and re-assuring that 
 she immediately recovered her spirits, and was 
 able to do the honors of the table with ease and 
 grace. 
 
 Coming upon her in that room alone, an hour 
 later, just as she had dismissed Aunt Dicey with 
 her orders for the day, " Little wife," he said, 
 bending down to give her the coveted caress, " ] 
 owe you an explanation." 
 
 " No, Ned, dear, I don't ask it of you : I know 
 it is all right," she answered, flushing with hap 
 piness, and her eyes smiling up into his. 
 
 "Still, I think it best to explain," he said. 
 " I had finished attending to the little matters I 
 spoke of, writing a note, and giving some direc 
 tions to Uncle Ben, and was on my way back 
 to our apartments, when Miss Deane met me on 
 the stairway, and asked if I would go into the 
 library with her, and help her to look up a certain 
 passage in one of Shakspeare's plays, which she 
 wished to quote in a letter she was writing. She 
 was anxious to have it perfectly correct, she said, 
 and would be extremely obliged for my assistance 
 in finding it." 
 
 "And you could not in politeness refuse. I 
 know that, Ned, and please don't think me jeal 
 ous." 
 
 " I know, dear, that you try not to be ; and it
 
 38 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 shall be my care to avoid giving you the least 
 occasion. And I do again earnestly assure you, 
 you need have no fear that the first place in my 
 heart will not always be yours." 
 
 " I don't fear it," she said ; " and yet, O 
 Ned ! it is misery to me to have to share your 
 society with that woman, even for a day or 
 two! " 
 
 " I don't know how I can help you out of it," 
 he said, after a moment's consideration, "unless 
 by shutting myself up alone, to attend to cor 
 respondence or something, and leaving you to 
 entertain her by yourself. Shall I do that? " 
 
 " Oh, no ! unless you much prefer it. I think 
 it would set me wild to have her whole attention 
 concentrated upon me," Zoe answered with an 
 uneasy laugh. 
 
 So they went together to the parlor, where 
 Miss Deane sat waiting for them, or rather for 
 Edward. 
 
 She had the chess-board out, the men placed, 
 and at once challenged him to a renewal of last 
 night's contest. 
 
 He accepted, of course ; and they played with 
 out intermission till lunch-time, Zoe sitting by, 
 for the most part silent, and wishing Miss Deane 
 miles away from Ion. 
 
 This proved a worse day to her than either of 
 the preceding ones. Miss Deane succeeded sev 
 eral times in rousing her to an exhibition of tern-
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 39 
 
 per that very much mortified and displeased 
 Edward ; and his manner, when they retired that 
 night to their private apartments, was many de 
 grees colder than it had been in the morning 
 He considered himself forbearing in refraining 
 from remark to Zoe on her behavior ; while she 
 said to herself, she would rather he would scold 
 her, and have done with it, than keep on looking 
 like a thunder-cloud, and not speaking at all. 
 He was not more disgusted with her conduct than 
 she was herself, and she would own it in a min 
 ute if he would but say a kind word to open the 
 way. 
 
 But he did not ; and they made their prepara 
 tions for the night and sought their pillows in 
 uncomfortable silence, Zoe wetting hers with 
 tears befors she slept.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 M Forbear sharp speeches to her. She's a lady 
 So tender of rebukes, that words are strokes, 
 And strokes death to her." SHAKSPEABB. 
 
 As we have said, the storm lasted for a week; 
 nd all that time Edward and Zoe ^ere slowly 
 Irifting farther and farther apart. 
 
 But at last the clouds broke and the sun shone 
 out cheerily. It was about the middle of the 
 forenoon when this occurred. 
 
 "Oh," cried Miss Deane, "do see the sun! 
 Now I shall no longer need to encroach upon 
 your hospitality, my kind entertainers. I can 
 go home by this afternoon's train, if you, Mr. 
 Travilla, will be so very good as to take or send 
 me to the depot." 
 
 " The Ion carriage is quite at your service," 
 he returned politely. 
 
 "Thanks," she said; "then I'll just run up 
 to my room, and do my bit of packing." 
 
 She hurried out to the hall, then the front door 
 was heard to open ; and the next minute a pier 
 cing shriek brought master, mistress, and ser 
 vants running out to the veranda to inquire the 
 cause. 
 
 40
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 41 
 
 Miss Deane lay there groaning, and crying out 
 *' that she had sprained her ankle terribly ; she 
 had slipped on a bit of ice, and fallen ; and oh ! 
 when now would she be able to go home? " 
 
 The question found an echo in Zoe's heart, and 
 she groaned inwardly at the thought of having 
 this most unwelcome guest fastened upon her for 
 weeks longer. 
 
 Yet she pitied her pain, and was anxious to do 
 what she could for her relief. She hastened to 
 the medicine- closet in search of remedies ; while 
 Edward and Uncle Ben gently lifted the sufferer, 
 carried her in, and laid her on the sofa. 
 
 Also a messenger was at once despatched for 
 Dr. Conly. Zoe stationed herself at a front 
 window of the drawing-room to watch for his 
 coming. Presently Edward came to her side. 
 "Zoe," he said, " can't you go to Miss Deane?" 
 
 " What for? " she asked, without turning her 
 head to look at him. 
 
 " To show your kind feeling." 
 
 " I'm not sure that I have any." 
 
 " Zoe ! I am shocked ! She is in great pain." 
 
 " She has plenty of helpers about her, Chris 
 tine, Aunt Dicey, and a servant-maid or two, 
 who will do all they can to relieve her. If I 
 could do any thing more, I would ; but I can't, 
 and should only be in the way. You forget what 
 a mere child you have always considered me, and 
 that I have had no experience in nursing."
 
 42 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " It isn't nursing, I am asking you to give her, 
 but a little kindly sympathy." 
 
 A carriage was coming swiftly up the avenue. 
 
 "There's the doctor," said Zoe. "You'd 
 better consult with him about his patient ; and, if 
 he thinks my presence in her room will hasten 
 her recovery, she shall have all I can give her of 
 it, that we may get her out of the house as soon 
 as possible." 
 
 " Zoe ! I had no idea you could be so heart 
 less," he said, with much displeasure, as he 
 turned and left the room. 
 
 Zoe remained where she was, shedding some 
 tears of mingled anger and grief, then hastily 
 endeavoring to remove their traces ; for Arthur 
 would be sure to step into the parlor, to see her 
 before leaving, if it were but for a moment. 
 
 She had barely recovered her compo^are when 
 he came in, having found his patient not in need 
 of a lengthened visit. 
 
 His face was bright, his tone cheery and kind, 
 as he bade her good-morning, and asked after her 
 health. 
 
 " I'm very well, thank you," she said, giving 
 him her hand. " Is Miss Deane's accident a very 
 bad one ? ' ' 
 
 " It is a severe sprain," he said : " she will not 
 be able to bear her weight upon that ankle for 
 six weeks." Then seeing Zoe's look of dismay, 
 an# shrewdly guessing at the cause, he hastened
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 43 
 
 to add, " But she might be sent home in ail 
 ambulance a few days hence, without the least 
 injury." 
 
 Zoe looked greatly relieved, Edward scarcely 
 less so. 
 
 " I can't understand how she came to fall," 
 remarked Arthur reflectively. 
 
 " Nor I," said Zoe. " Wouldn't it be well for 
 you to advise her never to set foot on that dan 
 gerous veranda again? " 
 
 Arthur smiled. " That would be a waste of 
 breath," he said, "while Ion is so delightful a 
 place to visit." 
 
 "How are they all at Viamede?" he asked, 
 turning to Edward. 
 
 " Quite well at last accounts, thank you,'* 
 Edward replied, adding, with a slight sigh, *' I 
 wish they were here, my mother at least, if 
 none of the others." 
 
 Zoe colored violently. " Cousin Arthur, do 
 you think I am needed in your patient's room? " 
 she asked. 
 
 " Only to cheer and amuse her with your pleas- 
 ant society," he answered. 
 
 "She would find neither pleasure nor amuse 
 ment in my society, " said Zoe; "and hers is 
 most distasteful to me." 
 
 " That's a pity," 8<*id Arthur, with a look of 
 concern. " Suppose I tend you Ella for a few 
 days? She, T think, wo*)d rather enjoy tak<
 
 44 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 ing the entertainment of your guest off youi 
 hands." 
 
 "Oh, thank you!" said Zoe, brightening; 
 " that would be a relief: and, besides, I should 
 enjoy Ella myself, between times, and after Miss 
 Deane goes home." 
 
 " Please tell Ella we will both be greatly 
 obliged if she will come," Edward said. 
 
 " I'll do so," said Arthur, rising to go ; " but 
 I have a long drive to take, in another direction, 
 before returning to Roselands. And you must 
 remember," he added with a smile, " that I lend 
 her for only a few days. Cal and I wouldn't 
 know how to do without her very long." 
 
 With that, he took his departure, leaving Ed 
 ward and Zoe alone together. 
 
 " I am sorry, Zoe, that you thought it neces 
 sary to let Arthur into the secret of the mutual 
 dislike between Miss Deane and yourself," re 
 marked Edward, in a grave, reproving tone. 
 
 Zoe colored angrily. " I don't care who knows 
 it," she retorted, with a little toss of her head. 
 <c I did not think it necessary to let Arthur into 
 the secret, as you call it (I don't consider it one), 
 but neither did I see any objection to his knowing 
 about it." 
 
 " Then, let me request you to say no more on 
 the subject to any one," he said, with vexation. 
 
 " I sha'n't promise," she muttered, half undei 
 her breath. But he heard it.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 45 
 
 " Very well, then, I forbid it ; and you hava 
 promised to obey me." 
 
 " And you promised that it should always be 
 love and coaxing," she said, in tones trembling 
 with pain and passion. "I'll have to tell Ella 
 something about it." 
 
 " Then, say only what is quite necessary," he 
 returned, his tones softening. 
 
 Then, after a moment's silence, in which Zoe's 
 face was turned from him so that he pould not 
 see its expression, " Won't you go now, and ask 
 if Miss Deane is any easier? Surely, as her 
 hostess, you should do so much." 
 
 " No, I won't ! I'll do all I can to make her 
 comfortable ; I'll provide her with society more 
 agreeable to her than mine ; I'll see that she has 
 interesting reading-matter, if she wants it ; I'll 
 do any thing and every thing I can, except that ; 
 but you needn't ask that of me." 
 
 " O Zoe ! I had thought you would do a harder 
 thing than that at my request," he said re 
 proachfully. 
 
 Ignoring his remark, she went on, "I just be 
 lieve she fell and hurt herself purposely, that 
 she might have an excuse for prolonging her visit, 
 and continuing to torment me." 
 
 " Zoe, Zoe, how shockingly uncharitable you 
 are!" he exclaimed. "I could never have be 
 lieved it of you ! We are told, ' Charity thinketb 
 no evil.' Do try not to judge so harshly."
 
 46 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 He left the room ; and Zoe indulged in a hearty 
 cry, but hastily dried her eyes, and turned her 
 back toward the door, as she heard his step ap 
 proaching again. 
 
 He just looked in, saying, " Zoe, I am going 
 to drive over to Roselands for Ella : will you go 
 along?" 
 
 " No. I've been lectured enough for one day," 
 was her ungracious rejoinder ; and he closed the 
 door, and went away. 
 
 He was dumb with astonishment and pain. 
 " What has come over her? " he asked himself. 
 " She has always before been so delighted to go 
 any and every where with me. Have I been too 
 ready to reprove her of late? I have thought 
 myself rather forbearing, considering how much 
 ill-temper she has shown. She has had provo 
 cation, to be sure ; but it is high time she learned 
 to exercise some self-control. Yet perhaps I 
 should have been more sympathizing, more for 
 bearing and affectionate." 
 
 He had stepped into his carriage, and was 
 driving down the avenue. He passed through 
 the great gates, and turned into the road, still 
 thinking of Zoe, and mentally reviewing their 
 behavior toward each other since the unfortunate 
 day in which Miss Deane had crossed their 
 threshold. 
 
 The conclusion he presently arrived at was, 
 that he had not been altogether blameless ; that.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 47 
 
 if his reproofs had been given in more loving 
 fashion, they would have been received in a bet' 
 ter spirit ; that he had not been faithful to his 
 promise always to try "love and coaxing" 
 with the impulsive, sensitive child-wife, who, he 
 doubted not, loved him with her whole heart ; 
 and, once convinced of that, he determined to 
 say so on his return, and make it up with her. 
 
 True, it seemed to him that she ought to make 
 the first advances toward an adjustment of their 
 slight differences (quarrels they could scarcely 
 be called ; a slight coldness, a cessation of ac 
 customed manifestations of conjugal affection, a 
 few sharp or impatient words on each side) , but 
 he would be too generous to wait for that ; he 
 loved her dearly enough to sacrifice his pride to 
 some extent; he could better afford that than 
 the sight of her unhappiness. 
 
 In the mean time Zoe was bitterly repenting of 
 the rebuff she had given him. He had hardly 
 closed the door when she started up, and ran to 
 it to call him back, apologize for her curt refusal 
 to go with him, and ask if she might still accept 
 his invitation. But it was too late : he was 
 already beyond hearing. 
 
 She could not refrain from another cry, and 
 was very angry with herself for her petulance. 
 She regretted the loss of the drive, too, which 
 would have been a real treat after the week of 
 confinement to the house.
 
 48 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 She had refused to comply with her husband'*! 
 request that she would go to Miss Deane and 
 ask how she was : now she repented, and went 
 as soon as she had removed the traces of her 
 tears. 
 
 " Ah ! 3 r ou have come at last ! " was the salu 
 tation she received on entering the room where 
 Miss Deane lay on a sofa, with the injured limb 
 propped upon pillows. " I began to fear," 
 sweetly, "that your delicate nerves had given 
 way under the sight of my sufferings." 
 
 " My nerves are not delicate," returned Zoe 
 coldly ; " m fact, I never discovered that I had 
 any ; so please do not trouble yourself with anxi 
 ety on that account. I trust the applications 
 have relieved you somewhat. ' ' 
 
 " Very little, thank you. I suppose it was 
 hardly to be expected that they would take effect 
 so soon. Ah, me ! " she added with a profound 
 sigh, " I fear I am tied to this couch for weeks." 
 
 " No ; do not disturb yourself with that idea," 
 said Zoe. " The doctor told me you could easily 
 be taken home in a few days in an ambulance." 
 
 ' ' I shall certainly avail myself of the first 
 opportunity to do so," said Miss Deane, her 
 eyes flashing with anger, " for I plainly perceive 
 that I have worn out my welcome." 
 
 " No, not at all," said Zoe ; " at least, not so 
 far as I am concerned." Miss Deane looked 
 her incredulity and surprise, and Zoe explained,
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN, 49 
 
 " I think I may as well be perfectly frank witi 
 you," she said. "You have not worn out yom 
 welcome with me, because I had none for yoni 
 when you came. How could I, knowing that you 
 invariably make trouble between my husband and 
 myself?" 
 
 " Truly, a polite speech to make to a guest ! " 
 sniffled Miss Deane. "I hope you pride your 
 self on your very polished manners." 
 
 " I prefer truth and sincerity," said Zoe. " I 
 shall do all I can to make you comfortable while 
 you are here ; and, if you choose to avoid the line 
 of conduct I have objected to, we may learn to 
 like each other. I very well know that you do 
 not love me now." 
 
 " Since frankness is in fashion at this mo 
 ment," was the contemptuous retort, "I will 
 own that there is no love lost between us. 
 Stay," as Zoe was about to leave the room, " let 
 me give you a piece of disinterested advice. 
 Learn to control your quick temper, and show 
 yourself more amiable, or you may find one of 
 these days, when it is too late, that you have lost 
 your husband's heart." 
 
 At that, Zoe turned away, and went swiftly 
 from the room. She was beyond speaking, her 
 whole frame quivering from head to foot with the 
 agitation of her feelings. 
 
 Lose the love of her idolized husband ? That 
 would be worse than death. But it should never
 
 50 ELSIE'S KITS AND KltT. 
 
 be : he loved her dearly now (it could not be 
 possible that these last few wretched days had 
 robbed her quite of the devoted affection she had 
 known beyond a doubt to be hers before) ; and 
 she would tell him, as soon as he came in, how 
 sorry she was for the conduct that had vexed 
 him, and never, no, never again, would she do or 
 say any thing to displease him, or lower herself 
 in his estimation. 
 
 As she thought thus, hurrying down the hall, 
 she caught the sound of wheels on the drive, and 
 ran out, expecting to see him, as it was about 
 time for his return from Roselands. 
 
 It was the Ion carriage she had heard, but 
 only Ella Conly alighted from it. 
 
 They exchanged greetings, then Zoe asked 
 half breathlessly, "Where's Edward?" 
 
 "Gone," Ella responded, moving on into the 
 hall. "Come, let's go into the parlor, and sit 
 down, and I'll tell you all I know about it. 
 Why, Zoe," as she turned and caught sight of 
 her companion's face, " you are as pale as death, 
 and look ready to faint ! There's nothing to be 
 scared about, and you mustn't mind my non 
 sense." 
 
 " Oh, tell me ! tell me quickly ! " gasped Zoe, 
 sinking into a chair, her hands clasped beseech 
 ingly, her eyes wild with terror : " what, what has 
 happened?" 
 
 " Nothing, child, nothing, except that we met
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 51 
 
 cousin Horace on our way here, and he carried 
 Ned off to Union. They had to hurry to catch a 
 train, in order to be in time for some business 
 matter in the city, I didn't understand what : so 
 Ned couldn't wait to write the least bit of a note 
 to tell you about it ; and he told me to explain 
 every thing to you, and say you were not to fret 
 or worry, not even if he shouldn't get home to 
 night ; for he might not be able to finish up the 
 business in time for even the last tram that 
 would bring him." 
 
 The color had come back to Zoe's cheek, but 
 her countenance was still distressed ; and as Ella 
 concluded, two scalding tears rolled quickly down 
 her face, and plashed upon the small white hands 
 lying clasped in her lap. 
 
 " Dear me ! " said Ella, " how fond ^ou are of 
 him ! " 
 
 "Yes," said Zoe, with a not very successful 
 effort to smile through her tears : " who wouldn't 
 be, in my place? I owe every thing to Ned, and 
 he pets and indulges me to the greatest extent. 
 Besides, he is so good, noble, and true, that any 
 woman might be proud to be his wife." 
 
 " Yes : I admit every word of it ; but all that 
 doesn't explain your tears," returned Ella, half 
 Bympathizingly, half teasingly. " Now, I should 
 have supposed that anybody who could boast of 
 euch a piece of perfection for a husband would 
 be very happy."
 
 52 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "But I we've hardly ever been separated 
 over night," stammered Zoe, blushing rosy red; 
 " and and O Ella ! I hadn't a chance to say 
 good-by to him, and and you know accidents 
 so often happen " 
 
 She broke down with a burst of tears and 
 sobs that quite dismayed her cousin. 
 
 "Why, Zoe, I'm afraid you cannot be well," she 
 said. "Come, cheer up, and don't borrow trouble." 
 
 " I'm afraid I'm very silly, and have been 
 making you very uncomfortable," said Zoe, has 
 tily wiping away her tears, "and it's a great 
 shame ; particularly, considering that you have 
 kindly come on purpose to help me through with 
 a disagreeable task. 
 
 " I'll show you to your room now, if you like," 
 she added, rising, "and try to behave myself 
 better during the rest of your visit." 
 
 "Apologies are quite uncalled for," returned 
 Ella lightly, as they went up-stairs together. 
 " I have always had a good time at Ion, and 
 don't believe this is going to be an exception to 
 the general rule. But do you know," lowering 
 her voice a little, "I don't propose to spend 
 nearly all my time with that hateful Miss Deane. 
 I never could bear her." 
 
 " Then, how good it was in you to come ! " ex 
 claimed Zoe gratefully. " But I should never 
 have asked it of you, if I had thought you dis* 
 liked her as well as I.'*
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 53 
 
 They were now in the room Ella was to occu 
 py, nd she was taking off her hat and cloak. 
 " Oh. never mind ! I was delighted to come any 
 how," she answered gayly, as she threw aside 
 the latter garment, and took possession of an 
 easy-chair beside the open fire. " To tell you a 
 secret," she went on laughingly, "I like my 
 cousins Ned and Zoe Travilla immensely, and 
 am always glad of an excuse to pay them a visit. 
 But that Miss Deane, oh ! she's just too sweet 
 for any thing ! ' ' making a grimace expressive of 
 disgust and aversion, " and a consummate, in 
 corrigible flirt : any one of the male sex can be 
 made to serve her turn, from a boy of sixteen to 
 a man of seventy-five." 
 
 "I think you are correct about that," said 
 Zoe. " And, do you know, she is forever mak 
 ing covert sneers at my youth ; and it's perfectly 
 exasperating to me." 
 
 "Sour grapes," laughed Ella. "I wouldn't 
 let it vex me in the least: it's all to hide 
 her env} T of you, because you are really 
 young, and married too. I know very well 
 she's dreadfully afraid of being called an old 
 maid." 
 
 " I suspected as much," Zoe remarked. " But 
 don't you think gentlemen are more apt to be 
 pleased with her than ladies ? ' ' 
 
 " Yea : they don't see through her as her own 
 sex do And she is handsome, and certainly a
 
 6V ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 brilliant talker. I'd give a good deal for conver* 
 sational powers equal to hers." 
 
 " So would I," Zoe said, with an involuntary 
 sigh. 
 
 Ella gave her a keen, inquiring look ; and Zoe 
 flushed hotly under it. 
 
 " Shall we go down now? " she asked. " It is 
 nearly dinner-time ; and we shall have to dine 
 alone unless some one drops in unexpectedly," 
 she added, as they left the room together, and 
 passed down the stairs, arm in arm. 
 
 "If Arthur should, wouldn't it be a trial to 
 Miss Deane to have to dine in her own room?" 
 exclaimed Ella, with a gleeful laugh. 
 
 " Why, what do you mean ? " asked Zoe, open 
 ing her e} r es wide with surprise. 
 
 " That she would not have the slightest objec 
 tion to becoming Mrs. Dr. Conly." 
 
 "But you don't think there's any danger?" 
 queried Zoe, by no means pleased with the idea 
 of having the lady in question made a member 
 of the family connection. 
 
 "No, and I certainly hope not. It wouldn't 
 be I that would want to call her sister," returned 
 Ella emphatically. 
 
 "I should think Art had sufficient penetra 
 tion to see through her," said Zoe. " But no ; on 
 second thoughts, I'm not so sure ; for Ned will 
 have it that it's more than half my imagination 
 when I say she sneers at me."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 55 
 
 That's too bad," said Ella. " But Art is 
 older than Ned by some years, and has probably 
 had more opportunity to study character." 
 
 " Yes," replied Zoe, speaking with some hesi 
 tation, not liking to admit that any one was 
 wiser than her husband, little as she was inclined 
 to own herself in the wrong when he differed 
 from her.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 *is tnere no constancy in earthly things? 
 No happiness in us, but what must alter ? " 
 
 ZOE drove over to the village in good season to 
 meet the last train for that day, coming from the 
 direction in which Edward had gone, ardently 
 hoping he might be on board. 
 
 The carriage was brought to a stand-still near 
 the depot ; and she eagerly watched the arrival of 
 the train, and scanned the little crowd of pas 
 sengers who alighted from it. 
 
 But Edward was not among them, and now it 
 was quite certain that she could not see him be 
 fore another day. 
 
 Just as she reached that conclusion, a telegram 
 was handed her : 
 
 " Can't be home before to-morrow or next day. Will 
 return as soon as possible. E. TRAVILLA." 
 
 To the girl-wife the message seemed but cold 
 and formal. " So different from the way he 
 talks to me when he is not vexed or displeased, 
 as he hardly ever is," she whispered to herself 
 with starting tears during the solitary drive back 
 56
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 57 
 
 to Ion. I know it's silly telegrams can't be 
 loving and kind : it wouldn't do, of course but 
 I can't help feeling as if he is angry with me, 
 because there's not a bit of love in what he says. 
 And, oh, dear ! to think he may be away two 
 nights, and I'm longing so to tell him how sorry 
 I am for being so cross this morning, and before 
 that, too, and to have him take me in his arms 
 and kiss me, and say all is right between us, that 
 I don't know how to wait a single minute ! " 
 
 She reached home in a sad and tearful mood. 
 Ella, however, proved so entertaining and mirth- 
 provoking a companion, that the evening passed 
 quickly, and by no means unpleasantly. 
 
 But when the two had retired to their respec 
 tive apartments, Zoe felt very lonely, and said 
 to herself that she would rather have Edward 
 there, even silent and displeased, as he had been 
 for several days past, than be without him. 
 
 Her last thought before falling asleep, and her 
 first on awaking next morning, were of him. 
 
 "Oh, dear!" she sighed half aloud, as she 
 opened her eyes, and glanced round the room, 
 " what shall I do if he doesn't come to-day? I'll 
 have to stand it, of course ; but what does a 
 woman do who has w^ husband? " And for the 
 first time she began to feel some sympathy for 
 Miss Deane, as a lorw x .y maiden lady. 
 
 She thought a gort deal about her unwelcome 
 guest while attending to the duties of the toilet,
 
 58 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 and determined to treat her with all possible 
 kindness during the remainder of her enforced 
 tay at Ion. So, meeting, on her way to the 
 breakfast- room, the old negress who had been 
 given charge of Miss Deane through the night, 
 she stopped her, and asked how her patient 
 was. 
 
 "Jes* pow'ful cross dis hyar mawnin', Miss 
 Zoe," was the reply, in a tone of disgust. " Dar 
 isn't one ob de fambly dat would be makin' half 
 de fuss ef dey'd sprained bofe dey's ankles. 
 Doan ye go nigh her, honey, fear she bite yo' 
 head off." 
 
 "Indeed I sha'n't, Aunt Phillis, if there's 
 any danger of that," laughed Zoe. "But as 
 she can't jump up and run after me, I think I 
 shall be quite safe if I don't go within arm's- 
 length of her sofa." 
 
 " She's pow'ful cross," repeated Aunt Phillis : 
 *' she done gone call dis chile up time an' again 
 fru de night ; an' when I ax her, ' Whar yo' 
 misery at? ' she say, ' In my ankle, ob c'ose, yo' 
 ole fool you ! Cayn't yo' hab nuff sense to 
 change de dressin' ? ' " 
 
 "Who is that has been so polite and compli 
 mentary to you, Aunt Phillis?" cried a merry 
 voice in their rear. 
 
 Ella was descending the stairway at whose 
 foot they stood, as they perceived, on turning at 
 the sound of her voice.
 
 ELSIE' 8 KITH AND KIN. 49 
 
 " Good-morning, cousin : how bright and well 
 you are looking ! " said Zoe. 
 
 ' Just as I feel. And how are you, Mrs. Tra- 
 villa? I trust you did not spend the night in cry 
 ing over Ned's absence? " was the gay rejoinder. 
 
 " No, not nearly all of it," returned Zoe, 
 catching her spirit of fun. 
 
 "Mawnin', Miss Ella," said the old nurse, 
 dropping a courtesy. " ' Twas de lady what 
 sprain her foot yisteday I was talkin' ' bout to 
 Miss Zoe." 
 
 "Ah! how is she?" 
 
 " I doan' t'ink she gwine die dis day, Miss 
 Ella," laughed the nurse, " she so pow'ful 
 cross ; and dey do say folks is dat way when 
 dey's gittin' bettah." 
 
 " Yes, I have always heard it was a hopeful 
 sign, if not an agreeable one," Ella remarked. 
 "Was that the breakfast-bell I heard just now ? " 
 
 " Yes," said Zoe. " I hope you feel ready to 
 do justice to your meal? " 
 
 As they seated themselves at the table, Zoe, 
 glancing toward Edward's vacant chair, re 
 marked, with a sigh, that it seemed very lonely 
 to sit down without him. 
 
 "Well, now," said Ella, "I think it's quite 
 nice to take a meal occasionally without the 
 presence of anybody of the masculine gender." 
 
 " Perhaps that is because you have never been 
 married," said Zoe.
 
 60 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "Perhaps so," returned her cousin, laughing t 
 '* yet I don't think that can be all that ails me, 
 for I have heard married women express the 
 same opinion quite frequently. What shall we 
 dc with ourselves to-day, Zoe? I've no notion 
 of devoting myself exclusively to Miss Deane's 
 entertainment, especially if she is really as 
 cross as reported." 
 
 " No, indeed ! I couldn't bear to let you, even 
 if you were willing," replied Zoe with decision. 
 -*' I consented to your taking my place in that, 
 only because I supposed you found her agree 
 able ; while to me she is any thing else." 
 
 " Suppose we call on her together, after a lit 
 tle, and let the length of our stay depend upon 
 the enjoyment our presence seems to afford her," 
 suggested Ella. 
 
 " Agreed," said Zoe. " Then I will supply 
 her with plenty of reading-matter, which, as she 
 professes to be so very intellectual, ought to en 
 tertain her far better than we can. Shall we 
 ride after that?" 
 
 " Yes, and take a promenade on the verandas. 
 We'll have to take our exercise in those ways, 
 as the roads are not yet fit for walking." 
 
 " Yes," said Zoe ; " but I hope that by after 
 noon they will be good enough for driving ; as 1 
 mean to drive over to the depot to meet the late 
 train, hoping to find Ned on it." 
 
 " Don't expect him till to-morrow," said Ella,
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 61 
 
 "Why not?" queried Zoe, looking as if sho 
 could hardly endure the thought. 
 
 u Because, in that case, your disappointment, 
 if you have one, will be agreeable." 
 
 " Yes ; but, on the other hand, I should lose all 
 the enjoyment of looking forward through the 
 whole day, to seeing him this evening. Follow 
 ing your plan, I shouldn't have half so happy a 
 day as if I keep to my own." 
 
 " Ah ! that's an entirely new view of the case," 
 Ella said in her merry, laughing tones. 
 
 Miss Deane did not seem to enjoy their society, 
 and they soon withdrew from her room ; Zoe hav 
 ing done all in her power to provide her with every 
 comfort and amusement available in her case. 
 
 "I'm glad that's over," sighed Zoe, when 
 they were alone again. " And now for our ride, 
 if you are ready, Ella. I ordered my pony for 
 myself, and mamma's for you ; and I see they 
 are at the door." 
 
 " Then let us don our riding-habits, and be off 
 at once," said Ella. 
 
 "Where are we going?" she asked, as they 
 cantered down the avenue. 
 
 "To the village, if you like. I want to call 
 at the post-office." 
 
 " In hopes of finding a note from Ned, I sup 
 pose. I don't believe there can be one there that 
 would bring you later news than yesterday's 
 telegram. But I have no objection to making
 
 62 ELBIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 sure, and would as soon ride in that direction 
 as any other." 
 
 Nothing from Edward was found at the office ; 
 and the young wife seemed much disappointed, 
 till Ella suggested that that looked as if he ex 
 pected to be at home before night. 
 
 It was a cheering idea to Zoe : she brightened 
 tip at once, and in the afternoon drove over the 
 same road, feeling almost certain Edward would 
 be on the incoming train, due about the time she 
 would reach the village, or rather at the time she 
 had planned to be there. Ella, who had asked 
 to accompany her, was slow with her dressing, 
 taxing Zoe's patience pretty severely by thus 
 causing ten minutes' detention. 
 
 "Come, now, don't be worried: it won't kill 
 Ned to have to wait ten or fifteen minutes," she 
 said laughingly, as she stepped into the carriage T 
 and seated herself by Zoe's side. 
 
 "No, I dare say not," returned the latter, 
 trying to speak with perfect pleasantness of tone 
 and manner ; " and he isn't one of the impatient 
 ones, who can never bear to be kept waiting a 
 minute, like myself," she added with a smile. 
 " Now, Uncle Ben, drive pretty fast, so that we 
 won't be so very far behind time." 
 
 " Fas' as I kin widout damagin' de bosses, 
 Miss Zoe," answered the old coachman. "Marse 
 Ed'ard allus tole me be keerful ob dem, and de 
 roads am putty bad sence de big storm."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 65 
 
 Zoe glanced at her watch as they entered the 
 village. " Drive directly to the depot, Uncle 
 Ben," she 'said. " It's fully fifteen minutes past 
 the time for the train to be in." 
 
 " I ain't heard de whistle, Miss Zoe," he re 
 marked, as he turned his horses' heads in the 
 desired direction. 
 
 " No, nor have I," said Ella ; " and we ought 
 to have heard it fully five minutes before it got 
 in. There may have been a detention. That 
 is nothing very unusual," she hastened to add, 
 as she saw that Zoe had suddenly grown very 
 pale. 
 
 The carriage drew up before the door of the 
 depot; and the girls leaned from its windows, 
 sending eager, searching glances from side to 
 side, and up and down the track. 
 
 No train was in sight, and the depot seemed 
 strangely silent and deserted. 
 
 " Oh ! ' ' cried Zoe, " what can be the matter? " 
 
 " I suppose the train must have got in some 
 time ago, perhaps before we left Ion," replied 
 Ella, in a re-assuring tone ; " and all the passen 
 gers have dispersed to their homes, or wherever 
 they were going." 
 
 " No, there could not have been time for all 
 that," Zoe responded, in accents full of anxiety 
 and alarm. 
 
 " Our watches may be much too slow," sug 
 gested Ella, trying to re-assure both herself and
 
 84 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 her cousin, yet trembling with apprehension aa 
 she spoke. 
 
 " No, it isn't possible that they and all the 
 timepieces in the house could be so far from cor 
 rect," said Zoe despairingly. 
 
 " Dar doan' 'pear to be nobody 'bout dis hyar 
 depot," remarked Uncle Ben reflectively; "but 
 J reckon dar's somebody comin' to 'splain de 
 mattah. Wha's de 'casion ob dis mos' onusual 
 state ob t'ings?" he added, as a woman, who 
 had been watching the carriage and its occupants, 
 from the open door of a neighboring house, came 
 running in their direction. 
 
 " What de mattah, Aunt Rhoda? " he queried, 
 as she reached the side of the vehicle, almost 
 breathless with excitement and exertion. 
 
 "Why, Uncle Ben, dar dar's been a acci 
 dent to de kyars, dey say, an' dey's all broke up, 
 and de folks roun' here is all " 
 
 "Where? where?" exclaimed Ella, while Zoe 
 sank back against the cushions, quite unable to 
 speak for the moment. 
 
 " Dunno, Miss," was the reply ; " but," point' 
 ing up the road, " it's out dat way, 'bout a mile, 
 I reckon. Yo see, de kyars was a comin' fas' dis 
 way, and 'nudder ole injine whiskin' 'long dat 
 way, and dey bofe comes togedder wid a big 
 crash, breakin' de kyars, and de injines bofe of 
 'em, till dey's good for nuffin' but kin'lin' wood ; 
 and de folks what's ridin' in de kyars is all broke
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 65 
 
 up too, dey . says ; and de doctahs and ebery- 
 body " 
 
 "Edward!" gasped Zoe. "Drive us there, 
 Uncle Ben, drive with all your might ! O 
 Edward, my husband, my husband!" and she 
 burst into hysterical weeping. 
 
 Ella threw her arms about her. "Don't, 
 dear Zoe, oh, don't cry so ! He may not be 
 hurt. He may not have been on that train at 
 all." 
 
 Ben had already turned and whipped up his 
 horses, and now they dashed along the road at a 
 furious rate. 
 
 Zoe dropped her head on Ella's shoulder, an 
 swering only with tears and sobs and moans, till 
 the carriage came to a sudden stand-still. 
 
 "We's got dar, Miss Zoe," said Uncle Ben, 
 in a subdued tone full of grief and sympathy. 
 
 She lifted her head ; and her eye instantly fell 
 upon a little group, scarcely a yard distant, con 
 sisting of several men, among whom she recog 
 nized Dr. Conly, gathered about an apparently 
 insensible form lying on the ground. 
 
 Ella and Ben saw it too. She suddenly 
 caught the reins from his hands : he sprang from 
 the carriage, and, lifting Zoe in his strong arms 
 as if she had been but a child, set her on her feet, 
 and supported her to the side of the prostrate 
 man ; the little crowd respectfully making way 
 for her, at the words spoken by Ben in a voice
 
 66 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 half choked with emotion, " Hit's Marse Ed'ard's 
 wife, gen'lemen." 
 
 It was Edward lying there motionless, and 
 with a face like that of a corpse. 
 
 With an agonized cry, Zoe dropped on her 
 knees at his side, and pressed her lips passion 
 ately to his. 
 
 There was no response, no movement, not the 
 quiver of an eyelid ; and she lifted her grief- 
 stricken face to that of the doctor, with a look 
 of anguished inquiry in the beautiful eyes fit to 
 move a heart of stone. 
 
 " I do not despair of him yet, dear cousin 
 Zoe," Arthur said in a low, moved tone. "I 
 have found no external injury, and it may be 
 that he is only stunned." 
 
 The words had scarcely left his lips when 
 Edward drew a sighing breath, and opened his 
 eyes, glancing up into Zoe's face bending over 
 him in deepest, tenderest solicitude. 
 
 "Ah, love! is it you?" he murmured faintly, 
 and with a smile. ' ' Where am I ? What has 
 happened ? ' ' 
 
 "O Ned! dear, dear Ned! I thought you 
 were killed!" she sobbed, covering his face 
 vrith kisses and tears. 
 
 " There has been an accident, and you got a 
 blow that stunned you," answered the doctor; 
 " but I think you are all right now, or will be 
 very soon."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 67 
 
 " An accident ! " Edward repeated, with a 
 bewildered look, and putting his hand to hia 
 head. "What was it?" 
 
 "A collision on the railroad," Arthur said. 
 ' ' There is an ambulance here : I think I will put 
 you in it, and have you taken home at once. 
 'Tis only a few miles, and not a rough road." 
 
 " Yes, yes : home is much the best place," 
 he sighed, again putting his hand to his head. 
 
 " Art you in pain? " asked Arthur. 
 
 " Not much, but I feel strangely confused. I 
 should like to be taken home as soon as possible, 
 But not to the neglect of any one who may have 
 been more seriously hurt than I," he added, 
 feebly raising his head to look about him. 
 
 "There are none such," Arthur answered. 
 " You perhaps remember that the cars were 
 nearly empty of passengers : no lives were lost, 
 and no one, I think, worse hurt than yourself." 
 
 "And I?" returned Edward, in a tone of in 
 quiry. 
 
 " Have escaped without any broken bones, 
 and I trust will be all right in a few days." 
 
 " O Ned ! how glad I am it is no worse ! " 
 sobbed Zoe, clinging to his hand, while the teara 
 rolled fast down her cheeks. 
 
 " Yes, little wife," he said, gazing lovingly 
 into her eyes. 
 
 "There, I positively forbid any more talking," 
 said Arthur, with a mixture of authority and
 
 68 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 playfulness. " Here is the ambulance. Help me 
 to lift him in, men," to the by-standers. " And 
 you, cousin Zoe, get into your carriage, and drive 
 on behind it, or ahead if you choose." 
 
 " Can't I ride in the ambulance beside him ? " 
 she asked, almost imploringly. 
 
 " No, no : you will both be more comfortable 
 in doing as I have directed." 
 
 " Then, please go with him yourself," she en 
 treated. 
 
 " I shall do so, certainly," he answered, mo 
 tioning her away, then stooping to assist the 
 others in lifting the injured man. 
 
 Zoe would not stir till she had seen Edward 
 put into the ambulance, and made as comfortable 
 for his ride home as circumstances would permit. 
 Then, as the vehicle moved slowly off, she hur 
 ried to her carriage. 
 
 Ben helped her in, sprang into his own seat, 
 and, as he took the reins from Ella, Zoe gave 
 the order, "Home now, Uncle Ben, keeping as 
 close behind the ambulance as you can." 
 
 "Oh, don't, Zoe! you oughtn't to!" expos 
 tulated Ella, perceiving that her cousin was cry 
 ing violently behind her veil. "I don't think 
 Ned is very badly hurt. Didn't you hear Arthur 
 say so?" 
 
 "He only expressed such a hope: he didn't 
 say certainly," sobbed Zoe. " And when people 
 are in danger, doctors always try to hide it from 
 their friends.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 69 
 
 " Arthur is perfectly truthful," asserted Ella, 
 with some warmth. " He may keep his opinions 
 to himself at times, but he never builds people 
 up with false hopes. So cheer up, coz," she 
 added, squeezing Zoe's hand affectionately. 
 
 ' ' I know that what you say of cousin Arthur 
 is all true," sobbed Zoe ; "but I could see he 
 had fears as well as hopes : and and Ned 
 doesn't seem a bit like himself; he has such a 
 dazed look, as if not quite in his right mind." 
 
 ' ' But he knew you and Art ; and it is to be 
 expected that a man would feel dazed after such 
 a shock as he must have had." 
 
 " Yes, of course. Oh, I'm afraid he's dread- 
 fully, dreadfully hurt, and will never get over 
 it!" 
 
 "Still," returned Ella, "try to hope for the 
 best. Don't you think that is the wiser plan 
 always? " 
 
 " I suppose so," said Zoe, laughing and cry 
 ing hysterically; "but I can't be wise to-night 
 indeed, I never can."
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 - 
 
 48 And, if division come, it soon is part, 
 Too sharp, too strange an agony to last." 
 
 MRS. NORTOH 
 
 CHRISTINE and Aunt Phillis, who had been left 
 to charge of Miss Deane, had had a sore trial 
 of patience in waiting upon her, humoring her 
 yrhims, listening to her fretting and complaints, 
 and trying to soothe and entertain her. She was 
 extremely irritable, and seemed determined not 
 to be pleased with any thing they could do for 
 her. 
 
 "Where is your mistress?" she asked at 
 length. " Pretty manners she has, to leave a 
 suffering guest to the sole care of servants." 
 
 " Yes, Miss, Ise alluz fought Miss Zoe hab 
 pretty manners and a pretty face," replied Aunt 
 Phillis i "but dere is ladies what habn't none, 
 an' doan' git pleased wid nuffin' nor nobody, an* 
 cayn't stan' no misery nowhars 'bout deirselves, 
 but jes' keep frettin' and concessantly displainin' 
 'bout dis t'ing and dat, like dey hasn't got nuffin* 
 to be thankful for." 
 
 44 Impudence I " muttered Miss Deane, bar 
 70
 
 ELS IE' 8 KITH AND KIN. TV 
 
 eyes flashing angrily. Then bidding her attend 
 ants be quiet, she settled herself for a nap. 
 
 She was waked by a slight bustle in the house, 
 accompanied by sounds as if a number of men 
 were carrying a heavy burden through the en 
 trance-hall, and up the wide stairway leading to 
 the second story. 
 
 " "What's the matter? What's going on? Has 
 any thing happened?" she asked, starting up to 
 a sitting posture. 
 
 Christine had risen to her feet, pale and trem 
 bling, and stood listening intently. 
 
 "I must go and see," she said, and hurried 
 from the room, Aunt Phillis shambling after her 
 in haste and trepidation. 
 
 " Stay ! " cried Miss Deane : " don't leave me 
 alone. What are you thinking of ? " 
 
 But they were already out of hearing. " I 
 was never so shamefully treated anywhere as I 
 am here," muttered the angry lady, sinking back 
 upon her pillows. " I'll leave this house to-mor 
 row, if it is a possible thing, and never darken 
 its doors again." 
 
 Listening again, she thought she heard sounds 
 of grief, sobbing and wailing, groans and 
 sighs. 
 
 She was by no means deficient in curiosity, and 
 it was exceedingly trying to be compelled to lie 
 there in doubt and suspense. 
 
 The time seemed very much longer than it
 
 72 ELSIE 'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 really was before Aunt Phillis came back, sob 
 bing, and wiping her eyes on her apron. 
 
 "What is the matter?" asked Miss Deane 
 impatiently. 
 
 " Dere's dere's been a awful commission on 
 de railroad," sobbed Aunt Phillis; "and Marse 
 Ed'ard's 'most killed." 
 
 " Oh, dreadful ! " cried Miss Deane. " Have 
 they sent for his mother? " 
 
 Aunt Phillis only shook her head doubtfully, 
 and burst into fresh and louder sobs. 
 
 " 'Most killed ! Dear me ! " sighed the lady. 
 " And he was so young and handsome ! It will 
 quite break his mother's heart, I suppose. But 
 she'll get over it. It takes a vast deal of grief 
 to kill." 
 
 " P'raps Marse Ed'ard ain't gwine ter die," 
 said the old nurse, checking her sobs. " Dey 
 does say Doctah Arthur kin 'most raise de 
 dead." 
 
 " Well, I'm sure I hope Mr. Travilla won't 
 die," responded Miss Deane, "or prove to be 
 permanently injured in any way. Ah, Chris 
 tine ! " as the latter re-entered the room : " what 
 is all this story about a railroad accident? Is 
 Mr. Travilla killed?" 
 
 " No, no, he not killed," replied Christine, 
 in her broken English. "How bad hurt, I not 
 know to say ; but not killed." 
 
 Meantime Edward had been taken to his
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 73 
 
 room, and put comfortably to bed ; while Zoe, 
 seated in her boudoir, waited anxiously for the 
 doctor's report of his condition. 
 
 Ella was with her, and now and then tried to 
 speak a comforting word, which Zoe scarcely 
 seemed to hear. She sat with her hands clasped 
 in her lap, listening intently to catch every sound 
 from the room where her injured husband lay. 
 She looked pale and anxious, and occasionally a 
 tear would roll quickly down her cheek. 
 
 At last the door opened, and Arthur stepped 
 softly across the room to her side. 
 
 "Cheer up, little cousin," he said kindly. 
 " Edward seems to be doing very well ; and if 
 you will be a good, quiet little woman, you may 
 go and sit by his side." 
 
 " Oh, thank you ! I'll try," she said, starting 
 up at once. " But mayn't I talk to him at all? " 
 
 "Not much to-night," was the reply; "not 
 more than seems absolutely necessary ; and you 
 must be particularly careful not to say any thing 
 that would have the least tendency to excite 
 him." 
 
 " Oh, then he must be very, very ill, terribly 
 injured! " she cried, with a burst of tears and 
 sobs. 
 
 " That does not necessarily follow," Arthur 
 said, taking her hand, and holding it in a kindly 
 pressure. "But you must be more composed, 
 or," playfully, " I shall be compelled to exert
 
 T4 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 my authority so far as to forbid you to go to 
 him." 
 
 " Oh, no, no ! don't do that ! " she cried plead 
 ingly. "I'll be calm and quiet; indeed, indeed 
 I will." 
 
 " That's right," he said. "I think I may ven 
 ture to try you." 
 
 " But won't you please tell me just how much 
 you think he is hurt?" she pleaded, clinging to 
 his hand, and looking up beseechingly into his 
 face. 
 
 " My dear little cousin," he said in a tenderly 
 sympathizing tone, " I wish to do all in my power 
 to relieve your anxiety, but am as yet in some 
 doubt ntyself as to the extent of his injuries. 
 He is a good deal shaken and bruised ; but, as I 
 have said before, there are no broken bones ; 
 and, unless there should be some internal injury 
 which I have not yet discovered, he is likely to 
 recover entirely in a few days or weeks." 
 
 ' ' But you are not sure ? Oh ! how could I ever 
 bear it if he should ' ' she broke off with a 
 burst of violent weeping. 
 
 He led her to a seat, for she seemed hardly 
 able to stand : her whole frame was shaking with 
 emotion. 
 
 "Try not to meet trouble half way, little 
 cousin," he said gently. " ' Sufficient unto the 
 day is the evil thereof,' and ' As thy days, so 
 shall thy strength be.' It is God's promise tc
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 75 
 
 nil who put their trust in him, and cannot fail r 
 all his promises are yea and amen in Christ 
 Jesus." 
 
 "Yes, I know," she said, making a strong 
 effort to control herself. "And you do hope 
 Ned will soon be well? " 
 
 "I certainly do," he responded in cheerful 
 accents. "And now, if you will wipe away 
 your tears, and promise to be very good and 
 quiet, I will take yon to him. He was asking 
 for you when I left the room." 
 
 She gave the desired promise, and he led her 
 to the bedside. 
 
 " I have brought you your wife, Ned," he 
 said in a quiet tone, "and mean to leave her 
 with you for a while ; but you are to be a good 
 boy, and not indulge in much chatter with her." 
 
 " We'll be good : I'll answer for her, and my 
 self too," Edward returned, with a tenderly af 
 fectionate smile up into Zoe's face, as she bent 
 over him, and touched her lips to his forehead. 
 
 She dared not trust herself to speak, but si 
 lently put her hand in his, dropped on her knees 
 by the bedside, and laid her pretty head on the 
 pillow on which his rested. 
 
 "My own darling!" he murmured, softly 
 pressing the hand he held : " my own precious 
 little wife ! " 
 
 Once more Arthur enjoined quiet, then went 
 out, and left them alone together.
 
 76 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 He paid a professional visit to Miss Deane, 
 satisfied her curiosity in regard to Edward's in 
 juries, and learned with pleasure that she was 
 quite resolved to go home the next morning. 
 
 " Of course Mrs. Travilla should give all her 
 attention to her husband now," she remarked; 
 44 and I shall be only in the way. One disabled 
 person is quite enough to have in a house at one 
 time. So if you, doctor, will be so kind as to 
 have the ambulance sent out for me directly after 
 breakfast, I'll be much obliged." 
 
 " I will do so," he said. "The journey will 
 do you no harm, and you will probably be better 
 cared for and happier in your own home than 
 here, under the circumstances." 
 
 Zoe's poor heart was longing to pour itself out 
 into her husband's ear in words of contrition, 
 penitence, and love ; and only the fear of injur 
 ing him enabled her to restrain her feelings, and 
 remain calm and quiet, kneeling there close by 
 his side, with her hand in his. She couldn't rest 
 till she told him how very, very sorry she was for 
 the petulance of the past few days, and especially 
 for the cold rejection of his invitation to accom 
 pany him on his drive to Eoselands, how firmly 
 resolved never again to give him like cause to be 
 displeased with her, and how dearly she loved him. 
 
 But she must refrain, from fear of exciting 
 him : she must wait till all danger from that was 
 past.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 77 
 
 It was hard ; yet there was strong consolation 
 in the certainty that his dear love was still hers. 
 She read it in his eyes, as they gazed fondly into 
 hers ; felt it in the tender pressure of his hand ; 
 heard it in the tones of his voice, as he called her 
 his " darling, his own precious little wife." 
 
 Yet she was tormented with the fear that his 
 accident had affected his mind and memory for 
 the time, so that he had forgotten the uukindnesa 
 of the morning ; and that, when returning health 
 and vigor should recall the facts to his remem* 
 brance, he would again treat her with the cold 
 ness and displeasure merited by her behavior. 
 
 "But," she comforted herself, ''if he does, 
 it will not last long : he is sure to forgive and 
 love me as soon as I tell him how sorry I arn." 
 
 She did not want to leave him to take either 
 food or rest ; but Arthur insisted that she should 
 go down to tea, and later to bed, leaving Edward 
 in his care ; and she finally yielded to his persua 
 sions., and exertion of medical authority. 
 
 She objected that it was quite useless to go to 
 bed ; she was positively sure she could not sleep 
 a wink : but her head had scarcely touched the 
 pillow before she fell into a profound slumber, 
 for she was quite worn out with anxiety and grief. 
 
 It was broad daylight when she woke. The 
 events of yesterday flashed instantly upon her 
 mind ; and she sprang from her bed and began 
 dressing in haste.
 
 78 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 She must learn as speedily as possible how 
 Edward was ; not worse, surely, for Arthur had 
 promised faithfully to call her at once if there 
 should be any unfavorable change during the 
 night. Still, a light tap at the door made her 
 start, and turn pale ; and she opened it with a 
 trembling hand. 
 
 Ella stood there with a bright, smiling coun 
 tenance. " Good-morning, coz," she said gayly. 
 4 ' I bring you good news, two pieces of it. Ned 
 is almost himself again ; Arthur is entirety satis 
 fied that there is no serious injury, internal or 
 otherwise ; and Miss Deane has already set out 
 for her home, leaving me to give you her adieus. 
 Now are you not happy? " 
 
 " Indeed, indeed I am!" cried Zoe, dancing 
 about the room in ecstasy, her eyes shining, and 
 her cheeks flushing with joy. 
 
 44 May I go to him at once ? " she asked, stop 
 ping short, with an eager, questioning look. 
 
 "Yes. Art says you may, and Ned is ask 
 ing for you. How fond he is of you, Zoe ! 
 though, I think, no fonder than you are of 
 him." 
 
 "I don't deserve it," responded Zoe, with 
 unwonted humility, answering the first part of 
 the remark. 
 
 44 1 don't see but you do," said Ella. " Can 
 I help you with your dressing ? I know you are 
 in a hurry to get to him."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 79 
 
 ** Thank you. I don't think you can, but I'll 
 be done in five minutes." 
 
 Edward lay watching for her coming, listening 
 for the sound of her light footsteps, and, as she 
 opened the door, looked up, and greeted her 
 with a tenderly affectionate smile. 
 
 " O Ned ! dear, dear Ned ! " she cried, hasten 
 ing to the bedside ; " how like yourself you look 
 again ! " 
 
 "And feel, too, love," he said, drawing her 
 down till their lips met in a long kiss. 
 
 Arthur had stepped out on her entrance, and 
 they were quite alone together. 
 
 " God has been very good to us, darling, in 
 sparing us to each other," Edward said, in low, 
 moved tones. 
 
 "Oh, yes, yes ! " she sobbed. "And I didn't 
 deserve it ; for I was so cross to you day before 
 yesterday, when you asked me to go with you : 
 and I'd been cross for days before that. Can 
 you, will you, forgive me, dear Ned?" 
 
 "I have not been blameless, and we will 
 exchange forgiveness," he said, drawing her 
 closer, till her head rested against his breast. 
 
 "It is so good in you to say that," she 
 sobbed. " Oh, if you had been killed, as I 
 thought for one minute you were, I could never 
 have had an hour of peace or comfort in this 
 world ! Those unkind words would have been 
 the last I ever spoke to you ; and I should nevei
 
 80 ELSIE'S KirH AND KIN. 
 
 have been able to forget them, or the sad look 
 that your face must have worn as you turned 
 away. I didn't see it, for I had rudely turned 
 my back to you ; but I could imagine it : for I 
 knew you must have been hurt, and grieved 
 too." 
 
 " So I was, little wife," he said tenderly, and 
 passing his hand caressingly over her hair and 
 cheek: "but a few moments' honest retrospect 
 showed me that I was not blameless, had not 
 been as forbearing and affectionate in my treat 
 ment of 013- darling little wife, for the past few 
 days, as I ought to have been ; and I resolved 
 to tell her so, on the first opportunity." 
 
 " O Ned ! I don't deserve such a kind, loving 
 husband ! " she sighed ; " and you ought to have 
 a great deal better wife." 
 
 " I am entirely satisfied with the one I have," 
 lifting her hand to his lips. "There isn't a 
 woman in the world I would exchange her for." 
 
 "But 1 often do and say things you don't 
 approve," she murmured, with a regretful sigh. 
 
 "Yes; but have I not told you more than 
 once, that I do not want a piece of perfection 
 for my wife, lest there should be far too strong 
 a contrast between her and myself?" 
 
 "But there wouldn't be," she asserted. "I 
 don't believe there's another man in all the world 
 quite so dear and good as my husband." 
 
 " Sweet flattery from your lips," he returned
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND SIN. 81 
 
 laughingly. " Now, dearest, go and eat your 
 breakfast. I have had mine." 
 
 " Ned, do you know our tormentor is gone? " 
 she asked, lifting her head, and looking into his 
 yes, with a glad light in her own. 
 
 "Yes, and am much relieved to know it," he 
 replied. "And, dearest, she shall never come 
 again, if I can prevent it."
 
 CHAPTER VH. 
 
 "Tell me the old, old story." 
 
 " Mr dear Zoe ! what a happy face ! " was 
 Ella's pleased exclamation, as the two met in the 
 breakfast-room. 
 
 " Very bright, indeed ! " said Arthur, who had 
 come in with Zoe, smiling kindly upon her as he 
 spoke. 
 
 "Because it reflects the light and 303" in my 
 heart," she returned. "Wouldn't it be strange 
 if I were not happy in knowing that my husband 
 is not seriously hurt? Oh, we have been so happy 
 together, that I have often feared it could not 
 last! " 
 
 " There seems every reasonable prospect that 
 it will," Arthur said, as they seated themselves 
 at the table. " You are both young and healthy, 
 your tastes are congenial, and you have enough 
 of this world's goods to enable you to live free 
 from carking cares and exhausting labors." 
 
 Zoe was in so great haste to return to Edward, 
 
 that she could scarce refrain from eating her 
 
 breakfast more rapidly than was consistent with 
 
 either politeness toward her guests or a du 
 
 82
 
 ELSIE' S KITH AND KIN. 83 
 
 regard for her own health : but she tried to re 
 strain her impatience ; and Arthur, who perceived 
 and sympathized with it, exerted himself for her 
 entertainment, telling amusing anecdotes, and 
 making mirth-provoking remarks. 
 
 Ella, perceiving his designs, joined in, in the 
 same strain. Zoe presently entered into their 
 mood, and they seemed, as in fact they were, a 
 light-hearted and happy little breakfast party ; 
 both Arthur and Ella feeling greatly relieved by 
 the favorable change in their cousin, not for 
 Zoe's sake alone, but also because of their ow 
 affection for him. 
 
 Edward no longer needed Arthur as nurse: 
 indeed, Zoe claimed the right to a monopoly of 
 the, to her, sweet task of waiting upon him, and 
 attending to all his wants. So Arthur resigned 
 in that capacity, but was to continue his visits as 
 physician. 
 
 He and Ella returned to Roselands shortly after 
 leaving the breakfast-table ; and Zoe, in joyous, 
 tender mood, took her place by her husband's 
 bedside. 
 
 He welcomed her with a loving smile, taking 
 her hand in his, and carrying it to his lips. 
 
 " Arthur has condemned me to lie here for a 
 full week," he said. "It would seem a weary 
 while in the prospect, but for the thought of hav 
 ing, through it all, the sweet companionship of 
 my darling little wife."
 
 84 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Dear Ned, how good in you to say so ! " she 
 murmured, kneeling beside the bed, and laying 
 her cheek to his. " I don't believe there's an 
 other creature in the world that thinks my society 
 of much account." 
 
 " If you are right in that, which I very much 
 doubt," he said with a smile of incredulity, " it 
 only shows their want of taste, and makes no 
 difference to us, does it, love, since we are all 
 the world to each other? " 
 
 " I am sure it makes no difference to me," she 
 responded : " if you love, and are pleased with, 
 me, it's very little I care what anybody else may 
 think or say about me. But, oh ! isn't it nice to 
 be alone together again? " 
 
 *' Very nice." 
 
 " And remember, you are to make all possible 
 use of me, as nurse, reader, when you feel 
 that you would like to listen to book or news 
 paper, as amanuensis, every thing." 
 
 " Yes, dearest, I expect to employ you in all 
 those capacities by and by ; but at present, I 
 want nothing but to have you sit by my side, and 
 talk to me, while I hold your hand, and feast my 
 eyes on the face that is to me the dearest in all 
 the world." 
 
 At that, the pretty face was suffused with 
 blushes and smiles. "I'm so happy! so very 
 happy ! " she murmured, stealing an arm round 
 his neck. "It is such a change from yesterday,
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 85 
 
 for a little while, I I thought you were 
 gone, and and without my having had a chance 
 to ask your forgiveness." , 
 
 The sobs came thick and fast as she went on. 
 ** O Ned ! dear, dear Ned ! I I don't mean 'ever 
 to be cross to you again, especially when we are 
 going to part even for an hour." 
 
 " No," he said, with emotion, and drawing her 
 closer to him; "we should not have parted so; 
 we had promised each other we would not ; and 
 I should have gone to you and made it up with 
 you before leaving the house." 
 
 " It was all my fault," she sobbed ; " and if 
 if you had been taken from me, I could never 
 have had another happy moment." 
 
 " Thank God that we are spared to each 
 other!" he said with fervent gratitude. "And 
 now, dear wife, let us try to forget that there has 
 been ever any coldness or clashing between us. 
 Let us enjoy the present, and be as happy in each 
 other as if no cloud, even the slightest, had ever 
 come over our intercourse as husband and wife." 
 
 "Yes," she said. Then, lifting her face, and 
 gazing earnestly into his. " How pale and ex 
 hausted you look ! " she cried in alarm. " I 
 have talked, and let you talk, too much and too 
 excitingly. I'm afraid cousin Arthur will say 
 I am but a poor sort of nurse. Now," with 
 drawing herself from his embrace, and gently 
 re-arranging his pillows, and smoothing the bed
 
 86 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 clothes, " shut your eyes, and try to sleep. I'll 
 stay close beside you, and be as quiet as a 
 mouse." 
 
 With a faint smile, he did as he was bidden ; 
 and she fulfilled her promise to the letter, watch 
 ing beside him with love and solicitude for two 
 hours, till his eyes again unclosed, and met hers, 
 gazing so tenderly upon him, with an answering 
 look of ardent affection. 
 
 " You have had a good nap, and look quite 
 refreshed, dear," she said, bending over him, 
 and softly stroking his hair with her little white 
 hand. 
 
 "Yes; I feel much better," he said. " And 
 you, love, have you been sitting there all this 
 time?" 
 
 "Of course I have," she answered gayly : 
 " did you think I would break my word, or feel 
 any desire to go away and leave you ? ' ' 
 
 " I know you to be the most devoted of nurses, 
 when it is I who require your services," he re 
 turned, with a tenderly appreciative smile. " You 
 are the best of little wives. But you must be 
 very weary, and I want you now to go and take 
 some exercise in the open air." 
 
 " Is that an order? " she asked playfully. 
 
 "Not yet," he returned, in the same tone; 
 *' but, if not obeyed as a request, it may become 
 something stronger." 
 
 "Well," she said laughing, "it won't hurt
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 8? 
 
 Aie if it does : you can't hurt me in that way any 
 more; for do you know, Ned," and she bent 
 lovingly over him, pressing a kiss upon his fore 
 head, " I have become such a silly thing, that I 
 actually enjoy obeying you, when you don't 
 order me as if you thought I wouldn't do as you 
 wish, and you meant to force me to it." 
 
 " Forgive me, 1 love, that I have ever done it in 
 that spirit," he said remorsefully, and coloring 
 deeply. 
 
 "Ned, I haven't any thing to forgive," she 
 said, with sudden energy and warmth of affection. 
 
 ' ' Then you will obey about the air and exer 
 cise? " he asked, returning to his playful tone. 
 
 " Presently, sir, when I have seen you eat 
 something. It's time for that now, according to 
 the doctor's directions." 
 
 She rang for refreshment, saw him take it, 
 then left him for a short time in the care of old 
 Aunt Phillis, while she donned riding hat and 
 habit, mounted her pony, and flew over several 
 miles of road and back again. 
 
 She seemed to bring a breath of fresh air with 
 her when she returned to his side. 
 
 "My darling." he said, smiling up at her, 
 " how the roses glow on your cheeks, and how 
 bright your eyes are ! Give me a kiss, and then 
 sit down close by my side." 
 
 " I obey both orders most willingly," she said 
 merrily, as she bent down and kissed him on lipa
 
 88 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN 
 
 and forehead and cheek, then took possession 
 of the chair she had vacated on leaving the 
 room. 
 
 *' Now, sir, what next? " 
 
 " Move your chair round a trifle, so that I can 
 have a better view of your face." 
 
 She smilingly obeyed. "There! does that 
 satisfy your lordship ? " 
 
 " Quite. Now talk to me." 
 
 "About what?" 
 
 " Any thing you please : the principal thing is 
 to hear the music of your voice." 
 
 " Suppose I sing, then." 
 
 "Yes, yes!" eagerly; "that's just what I 
 should enjoy. Let it be, ' I love to tell the 
 story.' " 
 
 Zoe had a beautiful voice. Soft and swe**t 
 and clear it rose, 
 
 " ' I love to tell the story 
 
 Of unseen things above, 
 Of Jesus and his glory, 
 
 Of Jesus and his love. 
 I love to tell the story, 
 
 Because I know it's true: 
 It satisfies my longings 
 
 As nothing else can do. 
 
 I love to tell the story : 
 'Twill be my theme in glory, 
 
 To tell the old, old story, 
 Of Jesus and his love.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 89 
 
 I love to tell the story : 
 
 More wonderful it seems, 
 Than all the golden fancies 
 
 Of all our golden dreams. 
 I love to tell the story, 
 
 It did so much for me; 
 And that is just the reason 
 
 I tell it now to thee. 
 
 I love to tell the story; 
 
 'Tis pleasant to repeat 
 What seems, each time I tell it, 
 
 More wonderfully sweet. 
 I love to tell the story, 
 
 For some have never heard 
 The message of salvation 
 
 From God's own Holy Word. 
 
 I love to tell the story; 
 
 For those who know it best, 
 Seem hungering and thirsting 
 
 To hear it like the rest. 
 And when in scenes of glory, 
 
 I sing the new, new song, 
 'Twill be the old, old story, 
 
 That I have loved so long.' " 
 
 The last note died away, and for a momen 
 there was silence in the room. Edward lay gaz 
 ing into his wife's eyes with a look of sad, 
 yearning tenderness. 
 
 " O Ned ! why, why do you look so at me? '* 
 she asked, with a sudden burst of tears, and 
 dropping her face on the pillow beside his.
 
 90 ELSIE'S KITE AND KIN. 
 
 He had been holding her hand while she sang , 
 he kept it still, and, laying his other one gently 
 on her head, " Zoe, my darling," he said, in 
 tones tremulous with emotion, "it is the one 
 longing desire of my heart that you may learn 
 the full sweetness of that old, old story. O love ! 
 sometimes the thought, ' What if my precious 
 wife should miss heaven, and our union be only 
 for time, and not for eternity,' sends so keen a 
 pang to my heart, that I know not how to endure 
 it.'' 
 
 " O Ned ! surely I shall not miss it," she said, 
 with a sob : ' ' my father and mother were such 
 good Christians ; and you, my own husband, are 
 so good "too." 
 
 " Ah, my darling ! " he sighed, " that hope is 
 but as a spider's web. Do you not remember 
 that passage in Ezekiel, ' Though these three 
 men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they 
 should deliver but their own souls by their right 
 eousness, saith the Lord God ' ? And it is repeated 
 again and again, ' Though Noah, Daniel, and 
 Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, 
 they shall deliver neither son nor daughter ; they 
 shall but deliver their own souls by their right 
 eousness.' Zoe, dear, no righteousness but the 
 imputed righteousness of Christ can save the soul 
 from death. He offers it to you, love ; and will 
 you continue to reject it? " 
 
 " Ned," she sobbed, " I wish I had it : lofteii
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 91 
 
 think I would be a Christian if I only knew how, 
 but I don't." 
 
 "Do you not?" he asked, in some surprise. 
 " I will try to make it plain. Jesus offers you a 
 full and free salvation, purchased by what he 
 has done and suffered in your stead, that ' God 
 might be just, and yet the justifier of him who 
 believeth in Jesus.' 
 
 " ' Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
 shalt be saved.' 
 
 " He bids you come to him, and says, ' Him 
 that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.' ' 
 
 " But how shall I come? " she asked. " Tell 
 me just how." 
 
 " How do you come to me, love, when you feel 
 that you have displeased me, and want to be 
 reconciled? " 
 
 " Oh ! you know I just come and acknowledge 
 that I've been hateful and cross, and say how 
 Borry I am, and that I don't mean to behave so 
 Any more, and ask you to forgive and love me ; 
 and, dear Ned, you are always so willing and 
 ready to clo that, you hardly wait till I've said 
 my say, before you put your arms round me, and 
 hug and kiss me, and it's all right between us." 
 
 " Yes, dearest ; and God, our heavenly Father, 
 is far more ready to receive and forgive us when 
 we turn to him with sorrow for our sins, confess 
 ing them and pleading for pardon in the name, 
 and for the sake, of his dear Son, our Saviour."
 
 92 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " I'm afraid I don't feel half so sorry as I 
 ought." 
 
 " Who of us does? but we are not to wait 
 for that. We must come to him, to be shown 
 the evil of our natures, the sinfulness of our 
 lives. 
 
 " ' Him hath God exalted with his right hand to 
 be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repent 
 ance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.' " 
 
 " But how am I to make myself believe? " she 
 asked. 
 
 " ' By grace are ye saved through faith ; and 
 that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God.' So 
 you see, we have to go to Jesus for it all, for 
 repentance, for faith, for salvation from the guilt 
 and love of sin, and from eternal death. 
 
 "The plan of salvation is very simple, its 
 very simplicity seems to stumble many ; they 
 don't know how to believe that it is offered 
 them as a free gift; they think they must do 
 something to merit it ; but it cannot be bought ; 
 it is ' without money and without price.' ' Who 
 soever will, let him take the water of lire freely.' 
 Come to Jesus, dear one ; come now, for onlj 
 the present moment is yours delay is most dan. 
 gerous, for the invitation may be withdrawn at 
 any time." 
 
 " If I could only see him ! If I could hear 
 his voice ! " she sighed. 
 
 "That you cannot; yet you know I am no
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 93 
 
 nearer to you, or more willing to hear a petition 
 from you, than he is." 
 
 At that moment a well-known step was heard 
 in the hall without ; and as Zoe rose hastily, wip 
 ing her eyes, Arthur tapped at the door.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ** I bless thee for kind looks and words 
 
 Showered on my path like dew, 
 For all the love in those deep eyes, 
 A gladness ever new. " 
 
 MRS. HEMANS. 
 
 A WEEK had passed since Edward's accident; 
 and he now exchanged his bed, during the day, 
 for an easy-chair. 
 
 He and Zoe had ' just finished taking their 
 breakfast together in her boudoir when a servant 
 came in with the mail. 
 
 There were letters from Viamede, one for 
 Edward from his mother, one for Zoe from Betty 
 Johnson. 
 
 Both brought the unwelcome tidings that little 
 Grace Raymond and Violet's babe were very ill 
 with scarlet-fever. 
 
 Edward read aloud his mother's announcement 
 of the fact. " Yes," said Zoe. " Betty tells me 
 the same thing. O Ned ! how sorry I am for poor 
 Vi ! It would be hard enough for her if she had 
 the captain with her, to help bear the burden and 
 responsibility, and to share in her grief if they 
 should die." 
 94
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN 
 
 95 
 
 "Yes, it is hard for her; and I am glad she 
 has mamma and grandpa and grandma with her. 
 Mamma says Dick Percival is attending the 
 children, and there is talk of telegraphing for 
 Arthur. 
 
 "Ah," glancing from the window, "here he 
 comes ! He will perhaps bring us later news." 
 
 Arthur did so : the children were worse than 
 at the date of the letters. He had just received 
 his summons, and would obey it immediately, 
 taking the next train ; had called to tell them, 
 and see how Edward was. 
 
 "Almost entirely recovered, tell my mother," 
 Edward said, in reply to the query; "and you 
 needn't go feeling any anxiety in regard to this 
 one of your patients," he added playfully. 
 
 " I leave him in your care, Zoe," said Arthur ; 
 "and, if he does not do well, I shall hold you 
 responsible." 
 
 ' ' Then you must lay your commands upon him 
 to obey my orders," she said, with a merry glacee 
 from one to the other. 
 
 " Would that be any thing new in his experi 
 ence?" asked the doctor with mock gravity. 
 
 "It won't do to question us too closely," re 
 turned Zoe, coloring and laughing. 
 
 " She is a very good little wife, and tolerably 
 obedient," laughed Edward. "Really, would 
 you believe it? she told me once she actually en 
 joyed obeying under certain circumstances ;
 
 96 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 and so, I suppose, should I. Zoe, you mustn't 
 be too hard on me." 
 
 " Oh ! I intend to be very strict in seeing the 
 doctor's orders carried out," she said; " and I 
 expect to enjoy my brief authority immensely." 
 
 Dr. Conly took leave almost immediately, for 
 he had no time to spare ; and the reading of the 
 letters was resumed. 
 
 Betty's was a long one, giving a full account, 
 from her point of view, of the contest between 
 Mr. Diusmore and Lulu Ra}-mond in regard to 
 her refusal to take music-lessons of Signor Fo- 
 resti after he had struck her. None of the family 
 had mentioned the affair in their letters, even 
 Rosie feeling that she had no warrant to do so ; 
 and the story was both new and interesting to Zoe. 
 
 Lulu had not yet submitted when Betty wrote, 
 so the story as told in her letter left the little girl 
 still in banishment at Oakdale Academy. 
 
 Zoe read the letter aloud to Edward. 
 
 "Lulu is certainly the most ungovernable child 
 I have ever seen or heard of," he remarked, at 
 its conclasion. " I often wonder at the patience 
 and forbearance grandpa and mamma have shown 
 toward her. In their place, I should have had 
 her banished to a boarding-school long ago, one 
 at a distance, too, so that she could not trouble 
 me, even during holidays." 
 
 "So should I," said Zoe: "she hasn't the 
 least shadow of a claim upon them."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 97 
 
 " No : the captain feels that, and is duly grate 
 ful. It is evident, too, that Lulu's lack of 
 gratitude, and her bad behavior, are extremely 
 mortifying to him." 
 
 " But don't you think, Ned, it was rather hard 
 to insist on her going back to that ill-tempered, 
 abusive old music- teacher? " 
 
 "Yes," he acknowledged with some hesita 
 tion. " I rather wonder at grandpa." 
 
 " I wonder how it is going to end," said Zoe : 
 " they are both so very determined, I should not 
 like to stand in Lulu's shoes, nor yet in his." 
 
 A second letter from Betty, received a fort 
 night later, told how it had ended : though Betty, 
 not being in Lulu's confidence as Evelyn was, 
 knew nothing of Capt. Raymond's letter to his 
 daughter, or of Lulu's confession in reply to it ; 
 so her story ended with the statement that Lulu 
 had at last submitted, been restored to favor, 
 and was at Magnolia Hall with Evelyn as a com 
 panion, all the children who were in health hav 
 ing been banished from Viamede to save them 
 from the danger of catching the dreaded fever. 
 
 But to go back to the morning when the first 
 instalment of her story was received. 
 
 " It must be a very anxious time for them, 
 the family at Viamede, I mean," remarked Ed 
 ward musingly. " And poor, dear Vi is so young 
 to have such burdens to bear. What a blessing 
 that she has mamma with her ! "
 
 98 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Yes," said Zoe. " And, oh ! I hope the chil 
 dren will get well, they are such darlings, both 
 Gracie and the baby. I feel very sorry they are 
 so ill, and yet I can't help rejoicing that my dear 
 husband is able to sit up again. 
 
 " Is that quite heartless in me?" she asked, 
 laying her hand on one of his, which rested on the 
 arm of his easy-chair ; for she was seated in a 
 low rocker, close at his side. 
 
 " I think not," he answered, smiling down into 
 her eyes. "It will do them no good for us to 
 make ourselves unhappy. We will sympathize 
 with, and pray for, them, but at the same time 
 be thankful and joyful because of all God's 
 goodness to us and them. ' Rejoice in the Lord 
 always : and again I say, Rejoice.' ' Rejoicing 
 in hope ; patient in tribulation.' ' 
 
 " You have certainly obeyed that last injunc 
 tion," remarked Zoe, looking at him with affec 
 tionate admiration; " so patient and cheerful as 
 you have been ever since your injury ! Many a 
 man would have grumbled and growled from 
 morning to night ; while you have been so pleas 
 ant, it was a privilege to wait on you." 
 
 "Thank you," he said, laughing: "it is un 
 commonly good in you to say that, but I'm afraid 
 you are rather uncharitable in your judgment of 
 4 many men.' 
 
 " Mamma has not yet heard of my accident," 
 he remarked presently, "and wonders over my
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 99 
 
 jong silence. I'll write to her now, if you will 
 be so kind as to bring me my writing-desk." 
 
 " I'm doubtful about allowing such exertion," 
 she said : " you are left under my orders, you re 
 member, and I'm to be held responsible for your 
 continued improvement." 
 
 "Nonsense! that wouldn't hurt me," he re 
 turned, with an amused smile ; " and if you won't 
 get the desk, I'll go after it myself." 
 
 " No, you mustn't : I sha'n't allow it," she said, 
 knitting her brows, and trying to look stern. 
 
 " Then get it for me." 
 
 "Well," she said reflectively, "I suppose 
 there'll have to be a compromise. I'll get the 
 desk, if you'll let me act as your amanuensis." 
 
 " We'll consider that arrangement after you 
 have brought it." 
 
 " No : you must agree to my proposition 
 first." 
 
 "Why, what a little tyrant you are!" he 
 laughed. " Well, I consent. Now will you 
 please to bring the desk ? ' ' 
 
 " Yes," she said, jumping up, and crossing the 
 room to where it stood ; " and if you are very 
 good, you may write a postscript with your own 
 hand." 
 
 " I'll do it all with my own hand," he said as 
 she returned to his side. 
 
 " Why, Ned ! " she exclaimed in surprise, " I 
 thought you were a man of your word! "
 
 100 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "And so I am, I trust," he said, smiling at 
 her astonished look, then catching her right hand 
 in his. "Is not this mine?" he asked: "did 
 you not give it to me ? Let me see nearly 
 two years ago?" 
 
 "Yes, I did," she answered, laughing and 
 blushing with pleasure and happiness : " you are 
 right ; it is yours. So you have every right to 
 use it, and must do so." 
 
 " Ah ! " he said, " ' a wilful woman will have 
 her way,' I see : there never was a truer saying. 
 No, that won't do," as she seated herself with 
 the desk on her lap : " put it on the table. T 
 can't have you bending over to write on your lap, 
 and so growing round-shouldered, especially in 
 my service." 
 
 " Any thing to please you," she returned gayly, 
 doing as he directed. "I suppose my right 
 hand is not all of me that you lay claim to? " 
 
 "No, indeed! I claim you altogether, as my 
 better and dearer half," he said, his tone chan 
 ging from jest to earnest, and the light of love 
 shining in his eyes. 
 
 She ran to him at that, put her arms round his 
 neck, and laid her cheek to his. "No, Ned, I 
 can't have you say that," she murmured, "you 
 who are so good and wise, while I am such a silly 
 and faulty thing, not at all worthy to be } r our 
 wife. Whatever made you marry me? " 
 
 " Love," he answered, drawing her closer, and
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 101 
 
 fondly caressing her hair and cheek, "love that 
 grows stronger and deeper with every day we 
 live together, dearest." 
 
 " Dear Ned, my own dear husband ! " she said, 
 hugging him tighter. " Words could never tell 
 how much I love you, or how I rejoice in your 
 love for me : you are truly my other, my best, 
 half, and I don't know how I could live without 
 you." 
 
 "Our mutual love is a cause for great grati 
 tude to God," he said reverently. "There are 
 so many miserably unhappy couples, I feel that 
 I can never be thankful enough for the little wife 
 who suits me so entirely." 
 
 " You are my very greatest earthly blessing," 
 she replied, lifting her head, and gazing into his 
 face with eyes shining with joy and love , " and 
 your words make me very, very happy. Now," 
 releasing herself from his embrace, " it's time to 
 attend to business, isn't it? I am ready to write 
 if you will dictate." And she seated herself be 
 fore the desk, and took up her pen. 
 
 It was not a lengthened epistle. He began 
 with an acknowledgment of the receipt of his 
 mother's letter, expressed his sympathy in the 
 sorrow and suffering at Viamede, gave a brief 
 account of his accident, consequent illness, and 
 partial recovery, highly eulogizing Zoe as the 
 best of wives and nurses. 
 
 When he began that, her pen ceased its move-
 
 102 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN 
 
 ment, and was held suspended over the paper, 
 while, blushing deeply, she turned to him with 
 a remonstrance. 
 
 "Don't ask me to write that: I am ashamed 
 to have mamma see it in my handwriting." 
 
 "Goon," he said: "she will know they are 
 my words, and not yours." 
 
 "Well, I obey orders," she replied with a 
 smile ; " but I don't half like to do it." 
 
 "Then let me," he said. "If you will hold 
 the desk on the arm of my chair for five minutes, 
 and give me the pen, I can finish up the thing 
 easily, and without the least danger of hurting 
 my precious self." 
 
 She did as directed. " There, now lie back in 
 your chair, and rest," she said, when he had fin 
 ished his note, and signed his name. "You do 
 look a little tired," she added, with an anxious 
 glance at him as she returned the desk to the 
 table. 
 
 " Nonsense ! tired with that slight exertion ! " 
 he responded gayly. " You may read that over, 
 and see if it wants any correction." 
 
 She did so, then, turning toward him with an 
 arch smile, asked, " May I criticise? " 
 
 " I should be happy to have the benefit of your 
 criticism," he said, laughing; "but don't make 
 it too severe, please." 
 
 "Oh, no! I was only thinking that mamma, 
 judging of her by myself, would not be half sat'
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 103 
 
 isfied with such a bare statement of facts, and 
 that I had better write a supplement, giving her 
 more of the particulars." 
 
 "I highly approve the suggestion," he an 
 swered, " only stipulating that you shall not 
 spend too much time over it, and shall read it to 
 me when finished." 
 
 " I'm afraid it won't be worth your hearing.'' 
 
 " Let me judge of that. If not worth my 
 hearing, can it be worth mamma's reading? " 
 
 "Perhaps so," she said with a blush; "be 
 cause what I tell will be news to her, but not to 
 you." 
 
 " Ah ! I hadn't thought of that. But I shall 
 want to hear it all the same, and take my turn at 
 criticism." 
 
 " If you are not more severe than I was, I can 
 stand it," she said. "And now please keep 
 quiet till I am done." 
 
 He complied, lying back at his ease, and amus 
 ing himself with watching her, admiring the 
 graceful pose of her figure, the pretty face 
 bending over the paper, and the small, white, 
 shapely hand that was gliding swiftly back and 
 forth. 
 
 "Come," he said at last, "you are making 
 quite too long a story of it." 
 
 " Mamma won't think so," she retorted, with 
 out looking up ; " and you know you are not 
 obliged to hear it."
 
 104 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Ah ! but that is not the objection ; I want to 
 hear every word of it: but I can't spare my 
 companion and nurse so long." 
 
 She turned to him with a bright smile. " What 
 can I do for you, dear? Just tell me. The let 
 ter can be finished afterward, you know." 
 
 "I want nothing but you," was the smiling 
 rejoinder. ' ' Finish your letter, and then come 
 and sit close by my side. 
 
 " But no ; you must take your accustomed 
 exercise in the open air." 
 
 Considering a moment, "I think," he said, 
 " I'll have you order the carriage for about the 
 time you are likely to be done there, and we'll 
 have a drive together." 
 
 She shook her head gravely. " You are not 
 fit for any such exertion." 
 
 " Uncle Ben and Solon shall help me down the 
 stairs and into the carriage, so there need be no 
 exertion about it." 
 
 "I won't consent," she said. "The doctor 
 left you in my charge ; and his orders were, that 
 you should keep quiet for the next few days." 
 
 '" You prefer to go alone, do you ? " 
 
 " Yes, rather than have you injured by going 
 with me." 
 
 " Come here," he said ; and, laying down her 
 pen, she obeyed. 
 
 He took both her hands in his, and, gazing with 
 mock gravity up into her face as she stood over
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 105 
 
 him, "What a little tyrant you are developing 
 into ! " he remarked, knitting his brows. " Will 
 you order the carriage, and take a drive in my 
 company?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 " Then what will you do? " 
 
 " Go by myself, or stay at home with you, 
 just as you bid me." 
 
 " What a remarkable mixture of tyranny and 
 submission," he exclaimed, laughing, as he 
 pulled her down to put his arm round her, and 
 kiss her first on one cheek, then on the other. 
 " I'll tell you what we'll do : you finish that let 
 ter, read it to me, and take the benefit of my 
 able criticisms ; then I'll try to get a nap while 
 you take your drive or walk, whichever you 
 prefer." 
 
 " That will do nicely," she said, returning his 
 caresses : " if you will be pleased to let me go, 
 I'll order the carriage, finish the letter in five 
 minutes, hear the able criticisms, put my patient 
 to bed, and be off for my drive." 
 
 " Do so," he said, releasing her. 
 
 From this time forward, till the children were 
 considered out of danger, and Edward was able 
 to go about and attend to his affairs as usual, 
 there were daily letters and telegrams passing 
 between Viamede and Ion. Then Dr. Conlj 
 came home, and almost immediately on his arrU 
 val drove over to Ion to see for himself if hia
 
 106 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 patient there had entirely recovered, and to carry 
 some messages and tokens of affection from the 
 absent members of the family. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon that he reached 
 Ion, and he found Edward and Zoe sitting to 
 gether in the parlor ; she with a bit of embroidery 
 in her hands, he reading aloud to her. 
 
 Arthur was very warmly welcomed by both. 
 
 " Cousin Arthur, I'm delighted to see you! " 
 cried Zoe, giving him her hand. 
 
 "And I no less so," added Edward, offering 
 his. " How did you leave them all at Viamede ? " 
 
 " All in health, except, of course, the two little 
 ones who have been so ill," he said, taking the 
 chair Edward drew forward for him ; " and them 
 we consider out of danger, with the careful atten 
 tion they are sure to have." 
 
 " How have mamma and Vi stood the anxiety 
 and nursing? " asked Edward. 
 
 ' ' Quite as well as could have been expected. 
 They hare lost a little in flesh and color, but will, 
 I think, soon regain both, now that their anxiety 
 is relieved. 
 
 " And you, Ned, are quite yourself again, I 
 should say, from appearances? " 
 
 " Yes ; and I desire to give all credit to the 
 nurse in whose charge you left me," returned 
 Edward, with a smiling glance at Zoe. 
 
 " As is but fair," said Arthur. " I discovered 
 iwr capabilities *?ofore I left."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 107 
 
 " She made the most of her delegated author 
 ity," remarked Edward gravely. ' ' I was allowed 
 no will of my own, till I had so entirely recov 
 ered from my injuries that she had no longer the 
 shadow of an excuse for depriving me of my 
 liberty." 
 
 "I thought it was a good lesson for him," 
 retorted Zoe. "I've read somewhere that no 
 body is fit to rule who hasn't first learned to obey." 
 
 ' ' Ah ! but that I learned before I was a year 
 old," said Edward, laughing. 
 
 " Nobody would have thought it, seeing the 
 trouble I had to make you obey," said Zoe. 
 
 " Now, cousin Arthur, tell us all about Via- 
 mede, and what you did and saw there." 
 
 " It is a lovely place," he said. " I expected 
 to be disappointed after the glowing accounts I 
 had heard, but I feel like saying, ' The half has 
 not been told me ; ' ' ' and he plunged into an en 
 thusiastic description of the mansion, its grounds, 
 and the surrounding country. 
 
 " I was loath to leave it," he said in conclu 
 sion. 
 
 ' ' And you make me more desirous to see it 
 than ever," said Zoe. 
 
 "Oh, do tell us! had Capt. Raymond been 
 heard from before you left ? We have seen by 
 the papers that the report of the loss of his ves 
 sel was untrue, and, of course, we were greatly 
 relieved."
 
 108 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Yes : letters came from him the day before ] 
 started for home. Fortunately, they had been 
 able to keep the report from Vi and little Grade ; 
 but May and Lulu had heard it, and were terribly 
 distressed, I was told." 
 
 "They are very fond of their father," re 
 marked Zoe. 
 
 "Yes, as they have good reason to be," said 
 Arthur: "he is a noble fellow, and one of the 
 best of husbands and fathers." 
 
 " Did you hear any thing in particular about 
 Lulu ? ' ' Zoe asked. 
 
 " No, I think not," he said reflectively ; "noth 
 ing but that she, May, and Evelyn Leland were 
 staying, by invitation, at Magnolia Hall. 
 
 "Ah, 3 r es! I remember now that Betty told 
 me there had been some trouble between uncle 
 Horace and Lulu in regard to her taking lessons 
 of a music-teacher whom she greatly disliked ; 
 that, because of her obstinate refusal, he had 
 banished her from Viamede, entering her as a 
 boarder at the academy the children were all 
 attending ; but that her distress of mind over 
 the illness of her little sisters, and the sad report 
 about her father, had led her to submit." 
 
 "Much to Vi's relief, no doubt," remarked 
 Edward. " Poor Vi ! She is devotedly attached to 
 her husband, but Lulu is a sore thorn in her side." 
 
 " I don't believe she has ever acknowledged 
 as much, or could be induced to," said Zoe.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 109 
 
 "No," assented Edward; ''but it is evident 
 to those who know her well, nevertheless. She 
 tries hard to conceal the fact, and has wonderful 
 patience with the wilful, passionate child, really 
 loving her for her father's sake." 
 
 "And for her own, too, if I mistake not," 
 Arthur said. ' ' There is something quite lovable 
 about Lulu, in spite of her very serious faults." 
 
 "There is," said Edward. "I have felt it 
 strongly myself at times. She is warm-hearted, 
 energetic, very generous, and remarkably straight 
 forward, truthful, and honest." 
 
 Dr. Conly had risen, as if to take leave. 
 
 " Now, cousin Arthur," said Zoe, " please sit 
 down again ; for we cannot let you leave us till 
 after tea." 
 
 Edward seconded the invitation. 
 
 " Thank you both," Arthur said, " but " 
 
 " But no buts," interrupted Zoe gayly. " I 
 know you were about to plead haste ; but there 
 is the tea-bell now, so you will not be delayed ; 
 for you have to take time for your meals." 
 
 "Then I accept," he said, "rejoicing in the 
 opportunity to spend a little longer time in your 
 very pleasant society '
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 " Here are a few of the unpleasantest words that ever 
 blotted paper." 
 
 EDWARD and Zoe now began to look forward 
 to the return of the family as a desirable event 
 not very far in the future. They had been ex 
 tremely happy in each other during almost the 
 whole time of separation from the rest ; but now 
 they were hungering for a sight of "mamma's 
 sweet face," and would by no means object to a 
 glimpse of those of grandparents, sisters, and 
 children. 
 
 At length a letter was received, fixing the date 
 of the intended departure from Viamede, and 
 stating by what train the party would probably 
 reach the neighboring village of Union, where 
 carriages must be in readiness to receive and 
 convey them to Ion . 
 
 And now Edward and Zoe began counting the 
 days : the little matron put on more housewifely 
 airs than was her wont, and was in great glee 
 over her preparations for a grand reception and 
 welcoming feast to the loved travellers. 
 
 She insisted on much cleaning and renovating, 
 110
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. Ill 
 
 and on the day of the arrival robbed the green 
 houses and conservatories for the adornment of 
 the house, the table, and her own person. 
 
 Edward laughingly asserted that he was al 
 most, if not quite, as much under her orders at 
 that time as when left in her charge by the doc 
 tor, and could have no peace but in showing 
 himself entirely submissive, and ready to carry 
 out all her schemes and wishes. 
 
 Fairview also was getting ready to receive its 
 master and mistress ; but the indoor preparations 
 there were overseen by Mrs. Lacey of the Lau 
 rels, Edward's aunt Rose. 
 
 It was the last of April : lovely spring weather 
 had come, and the head gardeners and their subor 
 dinates of both places found much to do in mak- 
 .ng all trim and neat against the expected arrival 
 of the respective owners ; and of these matters 
 Edward took a general oversight. 
 
 He and Zoe were up earlier than their wont on 
 the morning of the long-looked-for day, wander 
 ing about the gardens before breakfast. 
 
 " How lovely everything looks!" exclaimed 
 Zoe, in delight. "I am sure mamma will be 
 greatly pleased, and praise you to your heart's 
 content, Cuff," she added, turning to the gar 
 dener at work near by. 
 
 "Ya'as, Miss Zoe," he answered, with a 
 broad grin of satisfaction; "dat's what I'se 
 been a workin' for, an' spects to hab sho', kase
 
 112 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 Miss Elsie, she doan' nebber grudge nuffin' in de 
 way ob praise nor ob wages, when yo's done yo' 
 bes', ob co'se ; an' dis chile done do dat, sho's 
 yo' bawn." 
 
 "Yes, I'm sure you have, Cuff," said Ed 
 ward kindly : " the flowers look very flourishing ; 
 there's not a dead leaf or a weed to be seen any 
 where ; the walks are clean and smooth as >a 
 floor ; nothing amiss anywhere, so far as I can 
 perceive." 
 
 They moved on, walking slowly, and inspect' 
 ing carefully as they went, yet finding nothing to 
 mar their satisfaction. 
 
 They had reached the front of the house, and 
 were about to go in, when a boy on horseback 
 came cantering up the avenue, and handed a 
 telegram to Edward. 
 
 Tearing it hastily open, "From grandpa," he 
 said. " Ah ! they will be here by the next train ! " 
 
 " Half a day sooner than they or we ex 
 pected," cried Zoe, half joyfully, half in dismay, 
 struck with a momentary fear that her prepara 
 tions could not be quite complete in season. 
 
 Edward hastened to re-assure her. "Alto 
 gether, good news, isn't it? "he said. "We 
 can be quite ready, I am sure, and will escape 
 some hours of waiting ; while they will gain time 
 for rest and refreshment before the arrival of the 
 family party who are to gather here from the 
 Oaks, Roselands, the Laurels, and the Pines."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 113 
 
 " Oh, yes, yes ! it is ever so nice ! and I'm as 
 glad as I can be," she cried rapturously. " Now 
 let us make haste to get our breakfast, and then 
 attend to the finishing touches needed by the 
 house and our own persons." 
 
 "Stay," said Ed Ward, detaining her as she 
 was starting up the steps into the veranda. " We 
 should send word to Fairview, but it will be 
 time enough after breakfast. Suppose we ride 
 over there immediately upon leaving the table, 
 and carry the news ourselves? The air and ex 
 ercise will do you good." 
 
 "It would be very nice," she returned medi 
 tatively ; " but I'm afraid I shall hardly have 
 time." 
 
 "Yes, you will," he said. "You can give 
 your orders, and let Christine and Aunt Dicey see 
 them carried out." 
 
 " But I want my taste consulted in the arrange 
 ment of the flowers," she objected. 
 
 "Plenty of time for that after we get back," 
 he said. "And I want your help ja. deciding 
 whether every thing is exactly as it should be in 
 the grounds at Fail-view. Shall I order the 
 horses ? ' ' 
 
 "Yes. I'll go, of course, if you wish it, and 
 enjoy it greatly, I know." 
 
 They were very gay over their breakfast and 
 during their ride ; for they were young, healthy, 
 happy in each other ; the morning air was deli-
 
 114 ELSIE' 8 KITH AND KIN. 
 
 cious, and not a cloud was to be perceived in 
 either the natural sky above their heads, or in 
 that of their future ; all was bright and joyous, 
 and they seemed to have naught to do with sor 
 row or care, or any of the evils that oppressed 
 the hearts and darkened the lives of many of 
 their fellow-creatures. 
 
 Their tidings were received with joy by the re 
 tainers at Fairview, nearly every thing being in 
 readiness for the reception of its master arid 
 mistress. 
 
 Edward and Zoe had agreed that it was not at 
 all necessary to inform the expected guests of 
 the evening of the change in the hour for the 
 arrival of the home-coming party they intended 
 to welcome. 
 
 "The meeting will be quite as early as antici 
 pated," remarked Edward; "and it will do no 
 harm for mamma and the others to have a chance 
 to rest a little before seeing so many." 
 
 "They will enjoy themselves all the better, 
 I'm sure," said Zoe. 
 
 They were cantering homeward as they talked. 
 Arrived there, Zoe set to work at the pleasant 
 task of adorning the house " mamma's " bou 
 doir in particular with beautiful and sweet- 
 scented flowers, and contrived to be delightfully 
 busy in their arrangement till some little time 
 after Edward had gone with the carriages to meet 
 and bring home the travellers.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 115 
 
 All came directly to Ion, except the Fairview 
 family, who sought their own home first, but 
 promised to be present at the evening festivities. 
 
 The journey had been taken leisurely ; and no 
 one seemed fatigued but the little convalescents, 
 who were glad to be put immediately to bed. 
 
 " Mamma, dear, dearest mamma ! " cried Zoe, 
 as the two clasped each other in a close embrace. 
 *' I am so, so glad to see you ! " 
 
 "Tired of housekeeping, little woman?" 
 Elsie asked, with an arch look and smile. 
 
 " No, mamma, not that, though willing enough 
 to resign my position to you," was the gay re 
 joinder. " But my delight is altogether because 
 you are so dear and sweet, that everybody must 
 be the happier for your presence." 
 
 "Dear child, I prize and fully return your 
 affection," Elsie said in reply. 
 
 For each one, Zoe had a joyous and affection 
 ate greeting, till it came to Lulu's turn. 
 
 At her she glanced doubtfully for an instant, 
 then gave her a hearty kiss, saying to herself, 
 " Though she did behave so badly, I'm sure she 
 had a good deal of provocation." 
 
 Lulu had noted the momentary hesitation, and 
 flushed hotly under it ; but the kiss set all right, 
 and she returned it as warmly as it was given. 
 
 41 It seems nice to see you and uncle Edward 
 again, aunt Zoe ! " she said, " and nice to get 
 back to Ion, though Viamede is so lovely."
 
 116 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Yes," chimed in Rosie. " Viamede is almost 
 an earthly paradise, but Ion is the homiest home 
 of the two." 
 
 Lulu had been on her very best behavior ever 
 since the termination of the controversy between 
 Mr. Dinsmore and herself in regard to her tui 
 tion by Signor Foresti ; and she had returned to 
 Ion full of good resolutions, promising herself, 
 that, if permitted to continue to live at Ion, she 
 would henceforward be submissive, obedient, 
 and very determined in her efforts to control her 
 unruly temper. 
 
 But was she to be allowed to stay there ? No 
 objection had been raised by any of the family ; 
 but remembering her father's repeated warning, 
 that, if she proved troublesome to these kind 
 friends, he would feel compelled to take her 
 away from Ion, and send her to a boarding- 
 school, she awaited his decision with much 
 secret apprehension. 
 
 It was quite too soon to look for a response to 
 her confession, written from Magnolia Hall, or a 
 letter from him to her mamma, grandma Elsie, or 
 grandpa Dinsmore, giving his verdict in regard 
 to her ; and, at times, she found the suspense 
 very hard to bear. 
 
 Thus far, Evelyn Leland had been the sole 
 confidant of her doubts, fears, and anxieties on 
 the subject ; not even Max having been made ac 
 quainted with the contents of either her father's 
 letter to her, or her reply to it.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 117 
 
 She had managed to conceal her uneasiness 
 from him, and also from grandma Elsie and 
 Violet ; the time and attention of both ladies 
 being much occupied with the care of the little 
 invalids. 
 
 But, on the evening of this day, Grace and 
 baby Elsie were fast asleep, the one in bed, the 
 other in her dainty crib, at an early hour; and 
 Violet bethought her of Lulu in connection with 
 the expected assembling of a large family party. 
 
 " I must see that the child is suitably attired," 
 she said to herself, and, deferring her own toilet, 
 went at once to the little girl's room. 
 
 She found her already dressed, suitably and 
 tastefully too, and sitting by a window in an 
 attitude of dejection, her elbow on the sill, her 
 hv.-ad on her hand ; but she was not looking out ; 
 her eyes were downcast, and her countenance 
 was sad. 
 
 "What is the matter, Lulu, dear?" Violet 
 asked in gentle tones, as she drew near, and laid 
 her soft white hand caressingly on the bowed 
 head : " are you sorry to be at home again? " 
 
 "Oh, no, no, mamma Vi! it's not that. I 
 should be very glad to get back, if I were only 
 sure of being allowed to stay," Lulu answered, 
 lifting her head, and hastily wiping a tear out of 
 the corner of her eye. " But I I'm dreadfully 
 afraid papa will say I can't ; that I must be sent 
 away somewhere, because of having been so 
 discbedient and obstinate."
 
 118 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "I hope not, dear," Violet said: "you have 
 been so good ever since you gave up, and con 
 sented to do as grandpa wished." 
 
 "Thank you for saying that, mamma Vi. I 
 have been trying with all my might, asking 
 God to help me too," she added low and rever 
 entially; "but papa doesn't know that, and he 
 has been very near banishing me two or three 
 times before. Oh, I don't know how to wait to 
 hear from him ! I wish a letter would come ! " 
 
 4 ' It is almost too soon to hope for it yet, dear 
 child ; but I trust we may hear before very long," 
 said Violet. 
 
 At that moment there came a little tap at the 
 door; and the sweetest of voices asked, "Shall 
 I come in ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, mamma ! " 
 
 "Yes, grandma Elsie!" answered the two 
 addressed. 
 
 " I thought our little girl might like some help 
 with her toilet for the evening," Elsie said, ad 
 vancing into the room. "But is any thing 
 wrong? I think you are looking troubled and 
 unhappy, Lulu." 
 
 Violet explained the cause ; and Elsie said, very 
 kindly, " I don't want you sent away, Lulu, dear. 
 No one could desire a better behaved child than 
 you have been of late ; and I have written to 
 your father to tell him so, and ask that you may 
 stay with us still. So cheer up, and hope for the
 
 ELSIE 1 'S KITH AND KIN. 119 
 
 best, little girl," she added, with a smile and an 
 affectionate kiss. 
 
 Lulu had risen, and was standing by Elsie's 
 side. As the latter bent down to bestow the 
 caress, her arms were thrown impulsively about 
 her neck with a glad, grateful exclamation, "O 
 grandma Elsie ! how good you are to me ! I don't 
 know how you could want to keep me here, when 
 I've been so bad and troublesome so many 
 times." 
 
 " I trust you have been so for the very last 
 time, dear child," Elsie responded. "Think 
 how it will rejoice your father's heart if he learns 
 that you have at length conquered in the fight 
 with your naturally quick, wilful temper, which 
 has been the cause of so much distress to both 
 him and yourself." 
 
 " I do think of it very often, grandma Elsie," 
 Lulu returned, with a sigh that seemed to come 
 from the depths of her heart. " And I do want 
 to please papa, and make him happy : but, oh, 
 dear ! when something happens to make me 
 angry, I forget all about it and my good resolu 
 tions till it's too late ; the first thing I know, I've 
 been acting like a fury, and disgracing myself 
 and him." 
 
 " Yet don't be discouraged, or ever give up the 
 fight," Elsie said. " Persevere, using all your 
 own strength, and asking help from on high, and 
 you will come off conqueror at last- ' '
 
 ISO ELSIE S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 About the same time that this little scene 
 was enacting at Ion, Elsie Leland, passing the 
 door of Evelyn's room, thought she heard a low 
 sob coming from within. 
 
 She paused and listened. The sound was re 
 peated, and she tapped lightly on the door. 
 There was no answer ; and opening it, she stole 
 softly in. 
 
 Evelyn sat in an easy-chair at the farther side 
 
 / / 
 
 of the room, her face hidden in her hands, aq 
 open letter lying in her lap. 
 
 "My poor child! Is it bad news?" Elsie 
 asked, going up to the little girl, and touching 
 her hair caressingly. 
 
 "It is heart-breaking to me, aunt Elsie ; but 
 read and judge for yourself," Evelyn replied, in 
 a voice choking with sobs ; and taking up the 
 letter, she put it into her aunt's hand. 
 
 Elsie gave it a hasty perusal, then, tossing it 
 indignantly aside, took the young weeper in her 
 arms, bestowing upon her tender caresses and 
 soothing words. 
 
 " It is hard, very hard for you, dear, I know ; 
 it would be for me in your place ; but we must 
 just try to make the best of it." 
 
 "Yes," sobbed Evelyn ; "but I could hardly 
 feel more fully orphaned if my mother were dead. 
 And papa has not been gone a year. Oh, how 
 could she ! how could she ! You see, aunt 
 Elsie, she talks of my joining her as soon as I
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 121 
 
 m my own mistress ; but how can I ever think 
 of it now?" 
 
 "We your uncle and I would be very 
 loath to give you up, darling ; and, if you can 
 only be content, I think you may always have a 
 happy home here, with us," Elsie said, with an* 
 other tender caress. 
 
 " Dear auntie, you and uncle have made it a 
 very happy home to me," returned Evelyn 
 gratefully, wiping away her tears as she spoke, 
 and forcing a rather sad sort of smile. "I should 
 be as sorry to leave it as you could possibly be 
 to have me do so." 
 
 Evelyn was of a very quiet temperament, 
 rarely indulging in bursts of emotion of any 
 kind ; and Elsie soon succeeded in restoring her 
 to calmness, though her eyes still showed traces 
 of tears ; and her expressive features again wore 
 the look of gentle sadness that was their wont in 
 the first weeks of her sojourn at Fairview, but 
 which had gradually changed to one of cheerful 
 ness and content. 
 
 "Now, Eva, dear, it is time we were getting 
 ready for our drive to Ion," Elsie said. " Shall 
 I help you change your dress? " 
 
 "I I think, if you will excuse me, auntie," 
 Evelyn returned, with hesitation, " I should pre 
 fer to stay at home. I'm scarcely in the mood 
 for merry-making." 
 
 " Of course, you shall do just as you like, dear
 
 12? ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 child,'* was the kindly response; "but it is only 
 to be a family party, and you need not be mixed 
 up with any fun or frolic, I don't suppose 
 there will be any thing of the kind going on, 
 and you will probably enjoy a private chat with 
 your bosom-friend, Lulu. You know, there are 
 plenty of corners where you can get together by 
 yourselves. I think you would find it lonely 
 staying here, and Lulu would not half enjoy her 
 evening without you." 
 
 "Ycu are right, auntie: I will go," Evelya 
 answered, more cheerfully than she had spoken 
 since reading her letter. "I will dress at once, 
 but shall not need any help except advice about 
 what I shall wear." 
 
 Elsie gave it, and, saying the carriage would 
 be at the door in half an hour, went back to her 
 own apartments, to attend to the proper adorn 
 ment of her own pretty person. 
 
 Soon after her little talk with grandma Elsie 
 and mamma Vi, Lulu, still unable to banish the 
 anxiety which made her restless and uneasy, 
 wandered out into the shrubbery, where she 
 presently met Max. 
 
 "I've been all round the place," he said; 
 " and I tell you, Lu, it's in prime order: every 
 thing's as neat as a pin. Don't the grounds 
 look lovely, even after Viamede? " 
 
 "Yes," she sighed, glancing round from side 
 to side with a melancholy expression of counte* 
 nance quite unusual with her.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 123 
 
 ** What's the matter, sis?" he asked with 
 some surprise : " I hope you're not sick? " 
 
 "No, I'm perfectly well," she answered; 
 *' but, the prettier the place looks, the sorrier I 
 feel to think I may have to go awa}' and leave 
 it." 
 
 "Who says you are to go away?" he de 
 manded, "not grandma Elsie, or mamma Vi 
 either, I am sure, for they're both too kind ; and, 
 in fact, I don't believe anybody here wants 10 
 send you off." 
 
 "Maybe not," she said, "but I'll have to go 
 if papa says so ; and, O Max ! I'm so afraid he 
 will, because of all that all the trouble be 
 tween grandpa Dinsmore and me about the music- 
 lessons." 
 
 " I didn't suppose papa had been told about 
 it? " he remarked, half inquiringly. 
 
 " Yes," she said : "I confessed every bit of it 
 to him in that letter I wrote at Magnolia Hall." 
 
 "Bully for you!" cried Max heartily. "I 
 knew you'd own up at last, like a brick, as you 
 are." 
 
 " O Max ! you forget that mamma Vi does not 
 approve of slang," she said. " But I don't 
 deserve a bit of praise for confessing, because I 
 had to. Papa wrote to me that he was sure I'd 
 been misbehaving, though nobody had told him 
 a single word about it, and that I must write 
 at once, and tell him every thing."
 
 124 ELSIE'S KITH AND 
 
 *' Well, I'm glad you did ; and I hope lie won't 
 be hard on you, Lu. Still, I wouldn't iikfj to be 
 in your place, for papa can be quite severe when 
 he thinks it necessary. I wouldn't fret, though," 
 he added in a consolatory tone, " because there's 
 no use trying to cross the bridge before you come 
 to it, 'specially when you mayn't come at all." 
 
 *' That's quite true, but it's a great deal easiel 
 to preach than to practise," she said. " Maxie, 
 would you be sorry to have me sent away? " she 
 asked, her voice taking on a beseeching tone. 
 
 " Why, of course I should," he said. " We've 
 gone through a good deal together, and you know 
 we've always been rather fond of each other, con* 
 sidering that we're brother and sister," he added 
 laughingly. "Ah, here comes Eva!" and ha 
 lifted his hat with a profound bow as a turn in 
 the walk brought them face to face with her. 
 
 " O Eva ! I'm so glad you've come early ! " 
 exclaimed Lulu. 
 
 "I too," said Max; "but, if you have any 
 secrets for each other's private ear, I'll be off." 
 
 "Your company is always agreeable, Max," 
 Evelyn said with a faint smile, "and I should 
 be sorry to drive you away." 
 
 " Thanks," he said ; " but I'll have to go, for 
 I hear grandpa Dinsmore calling me." 
 
 He hastened to obey the call ; and the two 
 girls, each putting an arm about the other's 
 waist, paced to and fro along the gravel-walk.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 124 
 
 " How is Fairview looking? " asked Lulu. 
 
 " Lovely : it couldn't be in better order, and 
 there are a great many flowers in bloom. One 
 might say just the same of Ion." 
 
 " Yes : it is even prettier than Fairview, I havt 
 always thought. But that's a sweet place too ; 
 and aunt Elsie and uncle Lester are delightfui 
 to live with. I only wish I was as sure as you 
 are of such a sweet home." 
 
 " Don't worry, Lu. I hope your father will 
 let you stay on here," Evelyn said in an affec 
 tionate tone; "but, indeed, I don't think you 
 have any reason to envy me." 
 
 She ended with so profound a sigh, that Lulu 
 turned a surprised, inquiring look upon her, ask 
 ing, "Have you had any bad news, Eva? I know 
 you have been looking anxiously for a letter from 
 your mother." 
 
 " Yes, it has come : I found it waiting for me 
 at Fairview, and " She paused for a moment, 
 her heart too full for speech. 
 
 " And it was bad news? Oh, I am so sorry ! " 
 said Lulu. " I hope it wasn't that she wants 
 you to go away from here unless I have to go 
 too, and we can be together somewhere." 
 
 "No, it was not that not now. Mamma 
 knows that, because of the way papa made his 
 will, I must stay with uncle Lester till I come of 
 age. She talks of my going to her then ; but I 
 cannot, oh, I never can ! for, Lulu, she's
 
 126 ELSIE'S KITH AND 
 
 married again, to an Italian count ; and it is not 
 a year since my dear, dear father was taken from 
 us" 
 
 Evelyn's voice was tremulous with pain, and 
 she ended with a burst of bitter weeping. 
 
 " Oh, how could she ! " exclaimed Lulu. " J 
 don't wonder you feel so about it, Eva. A hor 
 rid Italian too! " she added, thinking of Signor 
 Foresti. " I'd never call him father ! " 
 
 "Indeed, I've no idea of doing that," Eva 
 said indignantly. "I only hope he may never 
 cross my path ; and so I feel as if my mother is 
 lost to me. You are far better off than I, Lulu : 
 you have your own dear father still living, and 
 aunt Vi is so lovely and sweet." 
 
 "Yes, I am better off than you," Lulu ac 
 knowledged emphatically ; " and if I hadn't such 
 a bad temper, always getting me into trouble^ 
 I'd be a giil to be tnvied-"
 
 CHAPTER X, 
 
 LULU'S SENTENCE. 
 
 PENDING Capt. Raymond's verdict in regard to 
 Lulu, life at Ion fell into the old grooves, for 
 her as well as the other members of the family. 
 
 Studies were taken up again by all the chil 
 dren, including Evelyn Leland, where they had 
 been dropped ; Mr. Dinsmore and his daughter 
 giving instruction, and hearing recitations, as 
 formerly. 
 
 This interval of waiting lasted for over two 
 months, a longer period of silence on the part of 
 the husband and father than usual ; but, as they 
 learned afterward, letters had been delayed in 
 both going and coming. 
 
 Capt. Raymond, in his good ship, far out on 
 the ocean, was wearying for news from home, 
 when his pressing want was most opportunely 
 supplied by a passing vessel. 
 
 She had a heavy mail for the man-of-war, and 
 a generous share of it fell to her commander. 
 
 He was soon seated in the privacy of his own 
 cabin, with Violet's letter open in his hand. It
 
 128 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 was sure to receive his attention before that of 
 any other correspondent. 
 
 With a swelling heart he read of the sore trial 
 she had been passing through, in the severe ill 
 ness of Gracie and the babe. Deeply he regretted 
 not having been there to lighten her burdens 
 with his sympathy and help in the nursing ; and 
 though, at the time of writing, she was able to 
 report that the little sufferers were considered 
 out of danger, he could not repress a fear, amid 
 his thankfulness, that there might be a relapse, 
 or the dread disease might leave behind it, as it 
 so often does, some lasting ill effect. 
 
 He lingered over the letter, re-reading passages 
 here and there, but at length laid it aside, and 
 gave his attention to others bearing the same 
 post-mark. 
 
 There was a short one from Max, which stirred 
 his heart with fatherly love and pride in his boy ; 
 that came next after Violet's : then he opened 
 Lulu's bulky packet. 
 
 He sighed deeply as he laid it down after a 
 careful perusal, during which his face had grown 
 stern and troubled, and, rising, paced the cabin to 
 and fro, his hands in his pockets, his head bowed 
 on his breast, which again and again heaved with 
 a deep-drawn sigh. 
 
 " What I am to do with that child, I do not 
 know," he groaned within himself. " If I could 
 make a home for her, and have her constantly
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 129 
 
 with me, I might perhaps be able to train her up 
 aright, and help her to learn the hard lesson how 
 to rule her own spirit. 
 
 " I could not do that, however, without resign 
 ing from the service ; and that would be giving 
 up my only means of earning a livelihood for her 
 as well as the others and myself. That is not to 
 be thought of : nor could I forsake the service 
 without heartfelt regret, were I a millionnaire." 
 
 The captain was a man of prayer. Some mo 
 ments were spent on his knees, asking guidance 
 and help for himself, and a change of heart for 
 his wayward little daughter ; then, again seating 
 himself at his writing-table, he opened yet an 
 other letter, one whose superscription he recog 
 nized as that of a business agent in one of our 
 far Western States. 
 
 His face lighted up as he read, and a text 
 flashed across his mind : "And it shall come to 
 pass, that before they call, I will answer ; and 
 while they are yet speaking, I will hear." 
 
 That sheet of paper was the bearer of most 
 strange, unlooked-for tidings : a tract of wild 
 land, bought by him for a trifle years before, and 
 long considered of little or no value, had sud 
 denly become by the discovery that ft con 
 tained rich mineral deposits, and the consequent 
 opening of mines, and laying out of a town upon 
 it worth many thousands, perhaps millions of 
 money.
 
 ISO ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 And he Capt. Raymond was the undisputed 
 owner of it all, of wealth beyond his wildest 
 dreams. He could scarce believe it : it seemed 
 impossible. Yet it was undoubtedly true ; and a 
 bright vision of a lovely home, with wife and chil 
 dren about him, rose up before his mind's eye, 
 and filled him with joy and gratitude to the Giver 
 of all good. 
 
 He would send in his resignation, and realize 
 the vision at the earliest possible moment. 
 
 But stay ! could he now, in the prime of life, 
 forsake the service for which he had been edu 
 cated, and to which he had already given many 
 of his best years ? Could he be content to bid a 
 final farewell to the glorious old ocean so long 
 his home, so beautiful and lovable in its varied 
 moods, and settle down upon the unchanging 
 laud, quite reconciled to its sameness? Would he 
 not find in himself an insatiable longing to be 
 again upon the ever restless sea, treading once 
 more the deck of his gallant ship, monarch of 
 her little world, director of all her movements? 
 < It was not a question to be decided in a mo 
 ment ; it required time for thought ; a careful 
 consideration of seemingly conflicting duties ; a 
 careful balancing of inclinations and interests, 
 and for seeking counsel of his best, his almighty 
 and all- wise, Friend. 
 
 At Ion, as the summer heats approached, the 
 question was mooted, "Where shall we spend
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 131 
 
 the next two or three months?" After some 
 discussion, it was decided that all should go 
 North to Cape May for a time : afterward they 
 would break up into smaller parties, and scatter 
 to different points of interest, as they might 
 fancy. 
 
 Lester and Elsie Leland would spend a portion 
 of the season at Cliff Cottage, Evelyn's old 
 home, taking her and Lulu with them. 
 
 Edward and Zoe, too, and probably some of 
 the others, would visit there. 
 
 All necessary arrangements had been made, 
 and they were to start the next cmy, when at 
 last letters were received from Capt. Raymond. 
 
 Lulu's heart beat very fast at sight of them. 
 She had been full of delight at the prospect of 
 her Northern trip, especially the visit to be paid 
 with Evelyn to her former home ; the latter hav 
 ing in their private talks dwelt much upon its 
 many attractions, and the life she had led there 
 in the sweet companionship of her beloved father. 
 
 " Would there be any thing in papa's letter to 
 prevent the carrying out of the cherished plans? " 
 Lulu asked herself as, in fear and trembling, she 
 watched Violet opening with eager fingers the 
 packet handed her at the breakfast-table. 
 
 Max and Gracie, too, looked on with in' v~ 
 quite equal to Lulu's; but in their case ii jfd 
 was only joyous expectancy unmingled with 
 dread.
 
 132 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " There is something for each of us, as usual," 
 Violet said presently, with a smiling glance from 
 one to another, " Max, Lulu, Grade, and my 
 self." 
 
 Lulu received hers, only a folded slip of 
 paper, and, asking to be excused, stole away 
 to the privacy of her own room to read it. 
 
 " MY DEAR LITTLE DAUGHTER [it ran], The story 
 of your misconduct has given a very sad heart to the 
 father who loves you so dearly. I forgive you, my child, 
 but can no longer let you remain at Ion to be a trouble 
 and torment to our kind friends there. I shall remove 
 you elsewhere as soon as I can settle upon a suitable 
 place. In the mean time, if you are truly sorry for the 
 past, you will, I am sure, earnestly strive to be patient, 
 submissive and obedient to those who have you in charge. 
 
 " Your loving father, 
 
 "L. RAYMOND." 
 
 The paper fell from Lulu's hand, and fluttered 
 to the floor, as she folded her arms upon the sill 
 of the window beside which she had seated her 
 self, and rested her head upon them. 
 
 " And that's all ; just that I am to go away, 
 nobody knows where ; to be separated from Max 
 and Gracie and every one else that I care for : 
 and when papa comes home, maybe he won't visit 
 me at all ; or, if he does, it will be for only a 
 little bit, because, of course, he will want to 
 spend most of his leave where the others are. 
 Oh, dear ! oh, dear ! I wish I'd been good ! I wish
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 133 
 
 I'd been born sweet-tempered and patient, like 
 Grade. I wonder if papa will ever, ever let me 
 come back ! 
 
 " But perhaps grandpa Dinsmore and grandma 
 Elsie will never invite me again. I wouldn't in 
 their place, I'm sure." 
 
 The captain's letter to his wife made the same 
 announcement of his intentions in regard to Lulu ; 
 adding, that, for the present he would have her 
 disposed of as should seem best to them Mr. 
 Dinsmore, his daughter, and Violet herself 
 npon consultation together ; he had entire confi 
 dence, he said, in then* wisdom and their kind 
 feeling toward his wayward, troublesome, yet still 
 beloved child ; so that he could trust her to their 
 tender mercies without hesitation. 
 
 He went on to say (and, ah, with what a 
 smile of exultation and delight those words were 
 penned!), that "there was a possibility that he 
 might be with them again in the fall, long enough 
 to find a suitable home for Lulu ; and, in the 
 mean time, would they kindly seize any opportu 
 nity that presented itself, to make inquiries in re 
 gard to such a place ? ' ' 
 
 Violet read that portion of his letter aloud to 
 her mother and grandfather, then asked if they 
 saw in it any thing necessitating a change in their 
 plans for the summer. 
 
 They did not, and were glad for Lulu's sake 
 that it was so.
 
 184 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 Lulu, in the solitude of her room, was anxiously 
 considering the same question, and presently went 
 with it to her mamma, taking her father's note in 
 her hand. 
 
 Finding Violet alone in her dressing-room, 
 giving the captain's missive another perusal, 
 "Mamma Vi," she said, "what what does 
 papa tell you about me?" She spoke hesitat 
 ingly, her head drooping, her cheeks hot with 
 blushes. "I mean, what does he say is to be 
 done with me? " 
 
 Violet pitied the child from the bottom of her 
 heart. " I wish, dear," she said, "that I could 
 tell you he consented to mamma's request to let 
 us try you here a little longer ; but doesn't he 
 say something about it in his note to you? " 
 
 " Yes, mamma Vi," Lulu answered chokingly : 
 "he says he can't let me stay here any longer, 
 to be such a trouble and torment to you all, and 
 will put me somewhere else as soon as he can 
 find a suitable place ; but he doesn't say what is 
 to be done with me just now." 
 
 "No, dear: he leaves that to us, grandpa, 
 mamma, and me, and we have decided that no 
 change in the arrangements for the summer need 
 be made." 
 
 "O mamma Vi ! how good and kind you all 
 are!" cried Lulu, in a burst of irrestrainable 
 gratitude ; and her tears began to fall. 
 
 Violet was quite moved by the child's emotion.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 135 
 
 ' You have been a dear good girl of late, and we 
 feel glad to take you with us," she said, drawing 
 her to her side, and giving her an affectionate 
 kiss. " Your father says there is a possibility 
 that he may be at home with us again for a while, 
 in the fall ; he expects to settle you somewhere 
 then : but if you continue to be so good, perhaps 
 he may relent, and allow you still to have a home 
 with us. I am quite sure that such a child as 
 you have been for the last two or three months, 
 would be heartily welcome to us all." 
 
 " It's ever so good in you to say that, mamma 
 Vi," returned the little girl, furtively wiping her 
 eyes ; " and I'm determined to try with all my 
 might. I'd want to do it to please papa, even if 
 I knew there wasn't one bit of hope of his letting 
 me stay. I don't think there is much, because, 
 if he decides a thing positively, he's very apt to 
 stick to it." 
 
 " Yes, I know ; but he will doubtless take into 
 account that circumstances alter cases," Violet 
 answered lightly, and with a pleasant smile. 
 " And at all events, you may be quite sure that 
 whatever small influence I may possess will be 
 exerted in your behalf." 
 
 '" I am sure you have a great deal, mamma Vi ; 
 and I thank you very much for that promise," 
 Lulu said, turning to go. 
 
 But at that instant a quick, boyish step 
 sounded in the hall without; and Max's voice
 
 13S ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 at the door asked, " Mamma Vi, may I come 
 m?" 
 
 " Yes," she said ; and in he rushed, with a face 
 full of excitement. " Lu, I've been looking 
 everywhere for you ! " he cried. " What do you 
 think? just see that! " and he held up a bit of 
 paper, waving it triumphantly in the air, while he 
 capered round the room in an ecstasy of delight. 
 
 " What is it? " asked Lulu. " Nothing but a 
 strip of paper, as far as I can see." 
 
 " That's because you haven't had a chance to 
 examine it," he said, laughing with pleasure. 
 " It's a check with papa's name to it, and it's 
 good for fifty dollars. Now, do you wonder I'm 
 delighted?" 
 
 " Noj not if it's yours. Did he give it to 
 you?" 
 
 "Half of it; the other half's to be divided 
 between you and Gracie ; and it's just for pocket- 
 money for this summer." 
 
 "Oh, that is nice!" exclaimed Violet. "I 
 am very glad for you all." 
 
 Lulu looked astounded for an instant ; then the 
 tears welled up into her eyes as she said falter- 
 ingly, "I don't deserve it; and I thought 
 papa was so vexed with me, I should never have 
 expected he'd give me a single cent." 
 
 " He's just a splendid father, that's what he 
 is ! " cried Max, with another bound of exultant 
 delight. " He says that if we go to the moun
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 137 
 
 tains, and grandpa thinks I can be trusted with a 
 gun, I'm to have one of the best that can be 
 bought ; and, if I'm a splendid boy all the time, 
 when he comes home I shall have a fine pony of 
 my own." 
 
 Then sobering down, " I'm afraid, though, 
 that he can't afford all that ; and I shall tell him 
 so, and that I don't want him to spend too much 
 of his hard-earned pay on his only son." 
 
 " Good boy ! " Violet said with an approving 
 smile ; " but I know it gives your father far more 
 pleasure to lay out money for his children than to 
 spend it on himself." 
 
 Stilt, she wondered within herself, for a mo 
 ment, if her husband had in some way become a 
 little richer than he was when last he described 
 his circumstances to her. Had he had a legacy 
 from some lately deceased relative or friend? 
 (surely no one could be more deserving of such 
 remembrance) or an increase of pay? But no, 
 he would surely have told her if either of those 
 things had happened ; and with that thought, the 
 subject was dismissed from her mind. 
 
 He had not told her of his good fortune the 
 sudden, unexpected change in his circumstances : 
 he wanted to keep it secret till he could see the 
 shining of her eyes, the lighting up of her face, 
 as she learned that their long separations were a 
 thing of the past; that in future they would 
 have a home of their own, and be as constantly
 
 138 ELSIE'S KITH AND KI29. 
 
 together as Lester and Elsie, Edward and 
 Zoe. 
 
 But his mind was full of plans for making her 
 and his children happy by means of his newly 
 acquired wealth, and he had not been able to re 
 frain from some attempt to do so at once. 
 
 " I don't want papa to waste his money on 
 me, either," Lulu said. " I'd rather never have 
 any pocket-money than have him do without a 
 single thing to give it to me." 
 
 " Dear child, I know you would," Violet said. 
 " But take what he has sent, and be happy with 
 it ; that is what he desires you to do ; and I 
 think you need have no fear that he will want for 
 anything because of having sent it to you." 
 
 " Let me see that, won't you, Maxie?" Lulu 
 asked, following her brother from the room. 
 
 He handed her the check, and she examined it 
 curiously. 
 
 " It has your name on it," she remarked. 
 
 "Yes: it is drawn payable tome," returned 
 Max, assuming an air of importance. 
 
 " But," said Lulu, still examining it critically, 
 u how can you turn it into money? " 
 
 "Oh! I know all about that," laughed Max. 
 "Papa explained it to me the last time he was at 
 home : I just write my name on the back of that, 
 and take it to a bank, and they'll give me the 
 fifty dollars." 
 
 "And then you'll keep half, and divide the
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 189 
 
 other half between Grade and me. That will 
 be twelve dollars and fifty cents for each of us, 
 won't it?" 
 
 " No, it isn't to be divided equally : papa says 
 you are to have fifteen dollars, and Gracie ten, 
 because you are older than she is, you know." 
 
 "But she's better, and deserves more than 
 I," said Lulu. "Anyway, she shall have half, 
 if she wants it." 
 
 "No, she doesn't," said Max. "I told her 
 about it ; and she thinks ten dollars, to do just 
 what she pleases with, is a great fortune." 
 
 " When will you get it, Max? " 
 
 "What, the money? Not till after we go 
 North. Grandpa Dinsmore says it will be best 
 to wait till then, as we won't care to spend any 
 of it here. O Lu ! you are going along, I sup 
 pose ? what does papa say about about what 
 you told him in your last letter ? ' ' 
 
 "You may read for yourself, Max," replied 
 Lulu, putting the note into his hand. 
 
 She watched his face while he read, and knew 
 by its expression that he was sorry for her, even 
 before he said so, as he handed it back. 
 
 " But perhaps papa may change his mind, if 
 you keep on being as good as you have been 
 ever since you left that school." he added. " But 
 you haven't told me yet whether you are still to 
 go North with us, or not." 
 
 " Tea : mamma Vi says I am. She says papa
 
 140 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 says in his letter to her, that they may do what 
 they think best with me for the present: and 
 they will take me along. It's good in them, 
 isn't it?" 
 
 To that Max gave a hearty assent. " They 
 are the kindest people in the world," he said.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 How terrible is passion 1 " 
 
 Tm iiViaimer passed quickly and pleasantly to 
 our frkmds of Ion and Fairview. The plans 
 they had made for themselves before leaving 
 home were carried out, with, perhaps, some 
 slight variations. 
 
 Lulu had her greatly desired visit to Cliff Cot 
 tage, and enjoyed it nearly as much as she had 
 hoped to ; a good deal less than she would if she 
 could have quite forgotten her past misconduct, 
 and its impending consequences. 
 
 As matters stood, she could seldom entirely 
 banish the thought that the time was daily draw 
 ing nearer when her father's sentence would be 
 carried out, to her sad exclusion from the pleas 
 ant family circle of which she had now been so 
 long a member. 
 
 She experienced the truth of the saying, that 
 blessings brighten as they take their flight, and 
 would have given much to undo the past, so that 
 she might prove herself worthy of a continuance 
 of those she had rated so far below their rea) 
 
 141
 
 142 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 value, that, in spite of her father's repeated 
 warnings, she had wantonly thrown them away. 
 
 She kept her promise to Violet, and strove 
 earnestly to deserve a repeal of her sentence, 
 though her hope of gaining it was very faint. 
 All summer long she had exercised sufficient 
 control over her temper to avoid any outbursts 
 of passion, and generally had behaved quite 
 amiably. 
 
 By the 1st of October the two families were 
 again at home at Ion and Fairview, pursuing the 
 even tenor of their way, Lulu with them, as of 
 old, no new home having yet been found for her. 
 No one had cared to make much effort in that 
 direction. It was just as well, Mr. Dinsmore, 
 Elsie his daughter, and Violet thought, simply 
 to let things take their course till her father 
 should return, and take matters into his own 
 hands. 
 
 There was no certainty when that would be : 
 his letters still alluded to his coming that fall as 
 merely a possibility. 
 
 But Lulu had been so amiable and docile for 
 months past, that no one was in haste to be rid 
 of her presence. Even Rosie was quite friendly 
 with her, had ceased to tease and vex her ; and 
 mutual forbearance had given each a better opin 
 ion of the other than she had formerly enter 
 tained. 
 
 But Lulu grew self-confident, and began to
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 143 
 
 relax her vigilance : it was so long since her 
 temper had got decidedly the better of her, that 
 she thought it conquered, or so nearly so that she 
 need not be continually on the watch against it. 
 
 Rosie had brought home with her a new pet, 
 a beautiful puppy as mischievous as he was hand 
 some. 
 
 Unfortunately it happened again and again 
 that something belonging to Lulu attracted his 
 attention, and was seriously damaged or totally 
 destroyed by his teeth and claws. He chewed 
 up a pair of kid gloves belonging to her ; and it 
 did not mend matters that Rosie laughed as 
 though it were a good joke, and then told her it 
 was her own fault for not putting them in their 
 proper place when she took them off : he tore her 
 garden-hat into shreds ; he upset her inkstand ; 
 tumbled over her work-basket, tangling the spools 
 of sewing-silk and cotton ; jumped upon her with 
 muddy paws, soiling a new dress and handsome 
 sash ; and at last capped the climax by defacing 
 a book of engravings, belonging to Mr. Dins- 
 more, which she had carelessly left in his 
 way. 
 
 Then her anger burst forth, and she kicked the 
 dog till his howls brought Rosie running to the 
 rescue. 
 
 "How dare you, Lulu Raymond!" she ex 
 claimed, with flashing eyes, as she gathered Trip 
 in her arms, and soothed him with caresses.
 
 144 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " I'll not allow my pet to be so ill used in my 
 own mother's house ! " 
 
 " He deserves a great deal more than I gave 
 him," retorted Lulu, quivering with passion; 
 "and if you don't want him hurt, you'll have 
 to keep him out of mischief. Just look what he 
 has done to this book ! " 
 
 " One of grandpa's handsome volumes of 
 engravings!" cried Rosie, aghast. "But who 
 left it lying there?" 
 
 "I did," 
 
 " Then you are the one to blame, and not my 
 poor little Trip, who, of course, knew no better. 
 How is he to tell that books are not meant for 
 gnawing quite as much as bones? " 
 
 "What is the matter, children?" asked Mr. 
 Diusmore, stepping out upon the veranda where 
 the little scene was enacting. " It surprises me 
 to hear such loud and angry tones." 
 
 For a moment each girlish head drooped in 
 eilence, hot blushes dyeing their cheeks ; then 
 Lulu, lifting hers, said, " I'm very sorry, grand 
 pa Dinsmore. I oughtn't to have brought this 
 book out here ; but it wouldn't have come to any 
 harm if it hadn't been for that troublesome dog, 
 that's as full of mischief as he can be. I don't 
 believe it was more than five minutes that I left 
 the book lying there on the settee ; and when I 
 ran back to get it, and put it away in its place, 
 he had torn out a leaf, and nibbled and soiled 
 the cover, as you see.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 145 
 
 ' .But, if you'll please not be angry, I'll save 
 op all my pocket-money till I can buy you an 
 other copy." 
 
 "That would take a good while, child," Mr. 
 Dinsmore answered. "It is a great pity you 
 were so careless. But I'll not scold you, since 
 you are so penitent, and so ready to make all the 
 amends in your power. Rosie, you really must 
 try to restrain the mischievous propensities of 
 your pet." 
 
 "I do, grandpa," she said, flashing an angry 
 glance at Lulu ; " but I can't keep him in sight 
 every minute ; and, if people will leave things in 
 his way, I think they are more to blame than he 
 is if he spoils them." 
 
 "Tut, tut! don't speak to me in that man 
 ner," said her grandfather. " If your dog con 
 tinues to damage valuable property, he shall be 
 sent away." 
 
 Rosie made no reply, but colored deeply as she 
 turned and walked away with her pet in her 
 arms. 
 
 "Now, Lulu," said Mr. Dinsmore, not un 
 kindly, ' ' remember that in future you are not to 
 bring a valuable book such as this, out here. If 
 you want to look at them, do so in the library." 
 
 " Yes, sir, I will. I'm very sorry about that ; 
 but if you'll tell me, please, how much it would 
 cost to buy another just like it, I'll write to papa, 
 and I know he will pay for it."
 
 146 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "I thought you proposed to pay for it youn 
 self," remarked Mr. Dinsmore grimly. 
 
 " Yes, sir ; but I don't wish to keep you wait- 
 tng ; papa wouldn't wish it. He sends his chil 
 dren pocket-money every once in a while, and 
 I'd ask him to keep back what he considered my 
 share till it would count up to as much as the 
 price of the book." 
 
 " Well, child, that is honorable and right," 
 Mr. Dinsmore said in a pleasanter tone ; " but I 
 think we will let the matter rest now till your 
 father comes, which I trust will be before a very 
 great while." 
 
 Rosie, knowing that her grandfather was quite 
 capable of carrying out his threat, lacking neither 
 the ability nor the will to do so, curtailed the lib 
 erty of her pet, and exerted herself to keep him 
 out of mischief. 
 
 Still, he occasionally came in Lulu's way, and 
 when he did was very apt to receive a blow or 
 kick. 
 
 He had a fashion of catching at her skirts with 
 his teeth, and giving them a jerk, which was very 
 exasperating to her all the more so, that Rosie 
 evidently enjoyed seeing him do it. 
 
 A stop would have been put to the " fun " if 
 the older people of the family had happened to be 
 aware of what was going on ; but the dog al 
 ways seemed to seize the opportunity when nona 
 of them were by, and Lulu scorned to tell tales.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 147 
 
 One morning, about a week after the accident 
 to the book, Lulu, coming down a little before 
 the ringing of the breakfast-bell, found Max on 
 the veranda. 
 
 " Don't you want to take a ride with me after 
 breakfast, Lu? " he asked. " Mamma Vi says I 
 can have her pony ; and, as Rosie doesn't care to 
 go, of course you can ride hers." 
 
 " How do you know Rosie doesn't want to 
 ride?" asked Lulu. 
 
 " Because I heard her tell her mother she 
 didn't ; that she meant to drive ovu- to Rose- 
 lands with grandpa Dinsmore instead ; that he 
 had told her he expected to go there to see Cal 
 about some business matter, and would take her 
 with him. So you see, her pony won't be wanted ; 
 and grandma Elsie has often said we could have 
 it whenever it wasn't in use or tired, and of 
 course it must be quite fresh this morning." 
 
 " Then I'll go," said Lulu with satisfaction ; 
 for she was extremely fond of riding, especially 
 when her steed was Rosie's pretty, easy-going 
 pony, Gyp. 
 
 So Max ordered the two ponies to be in readi 
 ness ; and, as soon as breakfast was over, Lulu 
 hastened to her room to prepare for her ride. 
 
 But in the mean time Mr. Diusmore had told 
 Rosie he had, for some reason, changed his plans, 
 and should wait till afternoon to make his call a* 
 Roselands.
 
 148 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 Then Rosie, glancing from the window, and 
 seeing her pony at the door, ready saddled and 
 bridled, suddenly decided to take a ride, ran to 
 her room, donned riding hat and habit, and was 
 down again a little in advance of Lulu. 
 
 Max, who was on the veranda, waiting for his 
 sister, felt rather dismayed at sight of Rosie, as 
 she came tripping out in riding-attire. 
 
 " O Rosie ! excuse me," he said. "I heard 
 you say you were going to drive to Roselands 
 with your grandpa, and so, as I was sure you 
 wouldn't be wanting your pony, I ordered him 
 saddled for Lu." 
 
 " That happened very well, because he is here 
 now all ready for me," returned Rosie, laughing, 
 as she vaulted into the saddle, hardly giving 
 Max a chance to help her. " Lu can have him 
 another time. Come, will you go with me? " 
 
 For an instant Max hesitated. He did not like 
 to refuse Rosie's request, as she was not allowed 
 to go alone outside the grounds, yet was equally 
 averse to seem to desert Lu. 
 
 "But," he thought, "she's sure to be in a 
 passion when she finds this out, and I can't bear 
 to see it." 
 
 So he sprang upon his waiting steed ; and as 
 Lulu, ready dressed for her ride, and eager to 
 take it, stepped out upon the veranda, she just 
 caught a glimpse of the two horses and their 
 riders disappearing down the avenue.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 14U 
 
 She turned white with anger at the sight, and 
 stamped her foot in fury, exclaiming between her 
 clinched teeth, "It's the meanest trick I ever 
 saw ! " 
 
 There were several servants standing near, 
 one of them little Elsie's nurse, an old negress, 
 Aunt Dinah, who, having lived in the family 
 for more than twenty years, felt herself privileged 
 to speak her mind upon occasion, particularly to 
 its younger members. 
 
 "Now, Miss Lu," she said, "dat's not de 
 propah way fo' you to talk 'bout dis t'ing ; kase 
 dat pony b'longs to Miss Rosie, an' co'se she 
 hab de right to ride him befo' anybody else." 
 
 " You've no call to put in your word, and I'm 
 not going to be lectured and reproved by a ser 
 vant ! ' ' retorted Lulu passionately ; and turning 
 quickly away, she strode to the head of the short 
 flight of steps leading down into the avenue, and 
 stood there leaning against a pillar, with her back 
 toward the other occupants of the veranda. Her 
 left arm was round the pillar, and in her right 
 hand she held her little riding- whip. 
 
 She was angry at Dinah, furiously angry at 
 Rosie ; and when the next minute something 
 Rosie's dog, she supposed tugged at ler skirts, 
 she gave a vicious backward kick without turn 
 ing her head. 
 
 Instantly a sound of something falling, accom 
 panied by a faint, frightened little cry, and
 
 150 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN- 
 
 chorus of shrieks of dismay from older voice* 
 flashed upon her the terrible knowledge that aJia 
 had sent her baby sister rolling down the steps 
 to the hard gravel-walk below. 
 
 She clutched at her pillar, almost losing cocr 
 sciousness for one brief moment, in her dreadful 
 fright. 
 
 Violet's agonized cry, as she ca/r>/ rushing 
 from the open doorway, "My biby! oh, my 
 baby! she's killed!" roused her; and aae saw 
 Dinah pick up the little creature froi/i the ground, 
 and place it in its mother's arms*, where it lay 
 limp and white, like a dead thing, without sense 
 or motion ; the whole household, young and old, 
 black and white, gathering round in wild excite 
 ment and grief. 
 
 No one so much as glanced at her, or seemed 
 to think of her at all : their attention was wholly 
 occupied with the injured little one. 
 
 She shuddered as she caught a glimpse of its 
 deathlike face, then put her hand over her eyea 
 to shut out the fearful sight. She felt as if she 
 were turning to stone with a sense of the awful 
 thing she had done in her mad passion ; then 
 suddenly seized with an overwhelming desire to 
 hide herself from all these eyes, that would pres 
 ently be gazing accusingly and threateningly at 
 her, she hurried away to her own room, aud shut 
 und locked herself in. 
 
 Her riding-whip was still in her huud She
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN, 151 
 
 tossed it on to the window-sill, tore off her gloves, 
 hat, and habit, and threw them aside, then, drop 
 ping on her knees beside the bed, buried her face 
 in the clothes, sobbing wildly, " Oh, I've killed 
 my little sister ! my own dear little baby sister ! 
 What shall I do? what shall I do? " 
 
 Moments passed that seemed like hours : faint 
 sounds came up from below. She heard steps 
 and voices, and, "Was that mamma Vi crying, 
 crying as if her heart would break? saying ovei 
 and over again, ' My baby's dead ! my baby's 
 dead ! killed by her sister, her cruel, passionate 
 sister! ' Would they come and take her (Lulu) 
 to jail ? Would they try her for murder, and hang 
 her? Oh ! then papa's heart would break, losing 
 two of his children in such dreadful ways. 
 
 " Oh ! wouldn't it break anyhow when he heard 
 what she had done, when he knew the baby 
 was dead, and that she had killed it, even if she 
 should not be sent to prison, and tried for 
 murder?" 
 
 At length some one tried the door ; and a little, 
 sobbing voice said, " Lulu, please let me in." 
 
 She rose, staggered to the door, and unlocked 
 it. "Is it only you, Gracie?" she asked in \ 
 terrified whisper, opening it just far enough to 
 admit the little slender figure. 
 
 "Yes: there's nobody else here," said the 
 child. " I came to tell you the baby isn't dead ; 
 but the doctor has come, and, I believe, he
 
 152 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 doesn't feel sure she won't die. O Lu! how 
 could you? " she asked with a burst of sobs. 
 
 "O Grade! I didn't do it on purpose! how 
 could you think so? I mean, I didn't know it 
 was the baby: I thought it was that hateful 
 dog." 
 
 " Oh, I'm glad ! I couldn't b'lieve it, though 
 some of them do! " exclaimed Gracie in a tone 
 of relief. 
 
 Then, with a fresh burst of tears and sobs/ 
 " But she's dreadfully hurt, the dear little thing ! 
 I heard the doctor tell grandpa Dinsmore he was 
 afraid she'd never get over it ; but he mustn't let 
 mamma know yet, 'cause maybe she might." 
 
 Lulu paced the room, wringing her hands and 
 sobbing like one distracted. 
 
 " O Gracie I " she cried, "I'd like to beat my 
 self black and blue ! I just hope papa will come 
 home and do it, because I ought to be made to 
 suffer ever so much for hurting the baby so." 
 
 " O Lu, no ! " cried Gracie, aghast at the very 
 idea. " It wouldn't do the baby any good. Oh, 
 I hope papa won't whip you ! " 
 
 "But he will! I know he will; and he ought 
 to," returned Lulu vehemently. " Oh, hark ! " 
 
 She stood still, listening intently, Grace doing 
 the same. They had seemed to hear a familiar 
 Btep that they had not heard for man}' a long 
 month , yes, there it was again : and with a low 
 ry of joy, Grace bounded to the door, threw i*
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN, 153 
 
 open, but closed it quickly behind her, and sprang 
 into her father's arms. 
 
 "My darling, my precious little daughter!" 
 he said, clasping her close, and showering kisses 
 on her face. " Where is every one? you are the 
 first I have seen, and why, how you have been 
 crying ! What is wrong ? " 
 
 " O papa ! the baby the baby's most killed," 
 she sobbed. "Come, I'll take you to her and 
 mamma ! " 
 
 Fairly stunned by the sudden dreadful an 
 nouncement, he silently submitted himself to her 
 guidance, and suffered her to lead him into the 
 nursery, where Violet sat in a low chair with the 
 apparently dying babe on her lap, her mother, 
 grandfather and his wife, and the doctor, grouped 
 about her. 
 
 No one noticed his entrance, so intent were 
 they all upon the little sufferer ; but just as he 
 gained her side, Violet looked up, and recognized 
 him with a low cry of mingled joy and grief. 
 
 " O Levis, my husband ! Thank God that you 
 have come in time to see her alive." 
 
 He bent down and kissed the sweet, tremulous 
 lips, his features working with emotion. "My 
 wife, my dear love, what what is this? what 
 ails our little one?" he asked in anguished ac 
 cents, turning his eyes upon the waxen baby 
 face ; and, bending still lower, he softly touched 
 his lips to its forehead.
 
 154 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 No one replied to his question ; and gazing 
 with close scrutiny at the child, " She has been 
 hurt?" he said, half in assertion, half inquir 
 ingly- 
 
 "Yes, captain," said Dr. Conly: "she has 
 had a fall, a very severe one for so young and 
 tender a creature." 
 
 " How did it happen? " he asked, in tones of 
 mingled grief and sternness. 
 
 No one answered ; and after waiting a moment, 
 he repeated the question, addressing it directly 
 to his wife. 
 
 " Oh, do not ask me, love ! " she said entreat- 
 ingly, and he reluctantly yielded to her request ; 
 but light began to dawn upon him, sending an 
 added pang to his heart ; suddenly he remem 
 bered Lulu's former jealousy of the baby, her 
 displeasure at its birth ; and with a thrill of hor 
 ror, he asked himself if this could be her work. 
 
 He glanced about the room in search of her 
 and Max. 
 
 Neither was there. 
 
 He passed noiselessly into the next room, then 
 into the one beyond, his wife's boudoir, and 
 there found his son. 
 
 Max sat gazing abstractedly from a window, 
 his eyes showing traces of tears. 
 
 Turning his head as the captain entered, he 
 started up with a joyful but subdued cry, 
 *'Papa!" then threw himself with bitter sob-
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 155 
 
 bing into the arms outstretched to receive 
 him. 
 
 "My boy, my dear boy!" the captain said, 
 in moved tones. "What is this dreadful thing 
 that has happened ? Can you tell me how your 
 baby sister came to get so sad a fall? " 
 
 "I didn't see it, papa: I was out riding at 
 the time." 
 
 4 ' But you have heard about it from those who 
 did see it?" 
 
 "Yes, sir," the lad answered reluctantly; 
 "but please, papa, don't ask me what they 
 said." 
 
 " Was Lulu at home at the tune? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " Would she be able to tell me all about it, do 
 you think ? ' ' 
 
 " I haven't seen her, papa, since I came in," 
 Max answered evasively. 
 
 The captain sighed. His suspicions had deep 
 ened to almost certainty. 
 
 "Where is she?" he asked, releasing Max 
 from his embrace, and turning to leave the 
 room. 
 
 " I do not know, papa," answered Max. 
 
 ' ' Where was the baby when she fell ? can you 
 tell me that? " asked his father. 
 
 "On the veranda, sir: so the servants told 
 me." 
 
 "Which of them saw it?"
 
 156 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Aunt Dinah, Agnes, Aunt Dicey, nearly 
 afl the women, I believe, sir." 
 
 The captain mused a moment. 
 
 " Was Lulu there? " he asked. 
 
 " Yes, sir ; and papa, if you must know just 
 how it happened, I think she could tell you 
 all about it as well as anybody else, or maybe 
 better. And you know she always speaks the 
 truth." 
 
 " Yes," the captain said, as if considering the 
 suggestion : " however, I prefer to hear the story 
 first from some one else." 
 
 He passed on through the upper hall and 
 down the stairs, then on out to the veranda, 
 where he found a group of servants of whom 
 Aunt Dicey was one excitedly discussing the 
 very occurrence he wished to inquire about. 
 
 They did not share the reluctance of Violet 
 and Max, but answered his questions promptly, 
 with a very full and detailed account of the 
 affair. 
 
 They gave a graphic description of the rage 
 Lulu was thrown into at the sight of Rosie gal 
 loping away on the pony she had expected to 
 ride, repeated her angry retort in reply to Aunt 
 Dinah's reproof, and told, without any extenua 
 tion of the hard facts, how the baby girl, escap 
 ing from her nurse's watchful care for a moment, 
 had toddled along to her sister, caught at her 
 skirts for support, and received a &uvage kick,
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 157 
 
 that sent her down the steps to the gravel-walk 
 below. 
 
 The captain heard the story with ever increas 
 ing, burning indignation. Lulu's act seemed the 
 very wantonness of cruelty, a most cowardly 
 attack of a big, strong girl upon a tiny, helpless 
 creature, who had an indisputable claim upon 
 her tenderest protecting care. 
 
 By the time the story had come to an end, he 
 was exceedingly angry with Lulu ; he felt that in 
 chis instance it would be no painful task to him 
 to chastise her with extreme severity ; in fact, he 
 dared not go to her at once, lest he should do 
 her some injury ; he had never yet punished a 
 child in anger ; he had often resolved that he 
 never would, but would always wait till the feeling 
 of love for the delinquent was uppermost in his 
 heart, so that he could be entirely sure his mo- 
 Ive was a desire for the reformation of the of 
 fender, and not the gratification of his own 
 passion. 
 
 Feeling that he had a battle to fight with him 
 self ere he dared venture to discipline his child, 
 and that he must have solitude for it, he strode 
 away down the avenue, turned into a part of the 
 grounds but little frequented, and there paced 
 back and forth, his arms folded on his breast, 
 his head bent, his heart going up in silent prayer 
 for strength to rule his own spirit, for patience 
 and wisdom according to hia need.
 
 158 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 Then he strove to recall all that was lovable 
 about his wayward little daughter, and to think 
 of every possible excuse for the dreadful deed 
 she had done, yet without being able to find any 
 that deserved the name. 
 
 At length, feeling that the victory was at least 
 partially won, and filled with anxiety about the 
 baby, he began to retrace his steps toward the 
 house. 
 
 In the avenue, he met Edward and Zoe, who 
 greeted him with joyful surprise, not having be 
 fore known of his arrival. 
 
 The expression of his countenance told them 
 that he was already informed of the sad occur 
 rence of the morning ; and Edward said with 
 heart-felt sympathy, " It is but a sad home-com 
 ing for you, captain, but let us try to hope for 
 the best : it is possible the little darling has not 
 received any lasting injury." 
 
 A silent pressure of the hand was the captain's 
 only reply for the moment. He seemed too 
 much overcome for speech. 
 
 " Such a darling as she is ! " said Zoe ; " the 
 pet of the whole house, and just the loveliest 
 little creature I ever saw." 
 
 "Did you either of you see her fall?" 
 asked the captain huskily. 
 
 " Yes," said Zoe, " I did. Violet and I hap 
 pened to be at the window of the little reception- 
 room overlooking the veranda, and were watching
 
 KITH AND KIN. 159 
 
 Ae little creature as she toddled along, and " 
 But Zoe paused, suddenly remembering that her 
 listener was the father of Lulu as well as of 
 her poor little victim. 
 
 " Please go on," he said with emotion. 
 *' What was it that sent her down the steps?" 
 
 " Lulu was standing there," Zoe went on, 
 hesitating, and coloring with embarrassment, 
 ' ' and I saw the baby-hands clutch at her 
 skirts ' ' 
 
 Again she paused. 
 
 " And Lulu, giving the tender, toddling thing 
 a savage kick, caused the dreadful catastrophe? " 
 he groaned, turning away his face. " You need 
 lot have feared to tell me. I had already heard 
 it from the servants who were eye-witnesses, and 
 I only wanted further and undoubtedly reliable 
 testimony." 
 
 "I think," said Edward, "that Lulu really 
 had no idea what it was she was kicking at. I 
 happened to be out in the grounds, and coming 
 round the corner of the house just in time to 
 catch her look of horror and despair as she half 
 turned her head and saw the baby fall." 
 
 " Thank you," the captain said feelingly. 
 44 It is some relief to her unhappy father to learn 
 rf the least extenuating circumstance."
 
 CHAPTER XH. 
 
 ' a Anger restcth in the bosom of fools." ECCLES. vi!.9 
 " Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but th 
 
 rod of correction shall drive it far from him." PROV. 
 
 xxii. 15. 
 
 " HE seems to feel terribly about it, poor 
 man ! " remarked Zoe with a backward glance at 
 the retreating form of Capt. Raymond, as he left 
 them and pursued his way to the house. 
 
 " Yes, and no wonder," said Edward. " Not 
 for worlds would I be the father of such a child 
 as Lulu ! " 
 
 " Nor I her mother," said Zoe. "So I'm 
 glad it was you I got for a husband instead of 
 Capte Raymond." 
 
 "Only for that reason?" he queried, facing 
 vound upon her in mock astonishment and wrath. 
 
 " Oh, of course ! " she returned, laughing, then 
 sobering down with a sudden recollection of the 
 sorrow in the house. " But, O Ned ! how heart 
 less we are to be joking and laughing when poor 
 Vi and the captain are in such distress ! " 
 
 "I'm afraid } T OU are right," he assented with 
 a sigh. *' Yet I am quite sure we both feel 
 
 160
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 161 
 
 deeply for them, and are personally grieved for 
 the injury to our darling little niece." 
 
 "Yes, indeed! the pretty pet that she is!'* 
 returned Zoe, wiping her eyes. 
 
 Gracie was on the veranda looking for her 
 father, and, catching sight of him in the avenue, 
 ran to meet him. 
 
 "How is baby now? Can you tell me?" he 
 asked, taking her hand, and stooping to give her 
 a kiss. 
 
 "Just the same, I suppose, papa," she said. 
 " Oh, it's very hard to see it suffer so ! isn't it, 
 papa? " 
 
 He nodded a silent assent. 
 
 "Papa," she asked, lifting her tearful eyes 
 to his face with a pleading look, " have you seen 
 Lulu yet?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 " O papa ! do go now ! It must be so hard for 
 her to wait so long to see you, when you've just 
 come home." 
 
 "I doubt if she wants to see me," he said, 
 with some sternness of look and tone. 
 
 " O dear papa ! don't punish her very hard. 
 She didn't hurt the baby on purpose." 
 
 "I shall try to do what is best for her, my 
 little girl, though I very much doubt if that is 
 exemption from punishment," he said with an 
 involuntary sigh. " But if she is in haste to see 
 me," he added, "there is nothing, so far as I
 
 162 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 am aware, to prevent her from coming to 
 me." 
 
 " But she's afraid, papa, because she has been 
 so very, very naughty." 
 
 " In that case, is it not kinder for me to keep 
 away from her?" 
 
 " O papa ! you know she always wants things 
 bad things over." 
 
 "The bad thing she has brought upon the 
 poor baby will not be over very soon," he said 
 sternly. "I must go now to it and your 
 mamma." 
 
 He did so ; and sharing Violet's deep grief 
 and anxiety, and perceiving that his very pres 
 ence was a comfort and support to her, he re 
 mained at her side for hours. 
 
 Hours, that to Lulu seemed like weeks or 
 months. Alone in her room, in an agony of re 
 morse and fear, she waited and watched and 
 listened for her father's coming, longing for, and 
 yet dreading it, more than words could express. 
 
 " What would his anger be like?" she asked 
 herself. "What terrible punishment would he 
 inflict? Would he ever love her again, especially 
 if the baby should die ? 
 
 ' ' Perhaps he would send her away to some 
 very far-off place, and never, never come near 
 her any more." 
 
 Naturally of a very impatient temperament, 
 suspense and passive waiting were well-nigh in*
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 163 
 
 tolerable to her. By turns she walked the floor, 
 fell on her knees by the bedside, and buried her 
 face in a pillow, or threw herself into a chair by 
 table or window, and hid it on her folded arms. 
 
 "Oh ! would this long day, this dreadful, dread 
 ful waiting for what? ever come to an end?" 
 she asked herself over and over again. 
 
 Yet, when at last the expected step drew near, 
 she shuddered, trembled, and turned pale with 
 affright, and, starting to her feet, looked this way 
 and that with a wild impulse to flee : then, as the 
 door opened, she dropped into her chair again, 
 and covered her face with her shaking hands. 
 
 She heard the door close : the step drew nearer, 
 nearer, and stopped close at her side. She 
 dared not look up, but felt her father's eyes gaz 
 ing sternly upon her. 
 
 "Miserable child!" hj said at length, "do 
 you know what your terrible temper has wrought ? 
 that in your mad passion you have nearly or 
 quite killed your little sister? that, even should 
 she live, she may be a life-long sufferer, in con 
 sequence of your fiendish act?" 
 
 "O papa, don't!" she pleaded in broken ac 
 cents, cowering and shrinking as if he had struck 
 her a deadly blow. 
 
 " You deserve it," he said : " indeed, I could 
 not possibly inflict a worse punishment than your 
 conduct merits. But what is the use of punish 
 ing you ? nothing reforms you ! I am in desoaii
 
 164 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 of you ! You seem determined to make yourself 
 a curse to me instead of the blessing I once 
 esteemed you.' What am I to do with you? 
 Will you compel me to cage or chain you up like 
 a wild beast, lest you do some one a fatal 
 injury?" 
 
 A cry of pain was her only answer, and he 
 turned and left the room. 
 
 "Oh!" she moaned, "it's worse than if he 
 had beaten me half to death ! he thinks I'm too 
 bad, even to be punished ; because nothing will 
 make me good : he says I'm a curse to him, so 
 he must hate me ; though he used to love me 
 dearly, and I loved him so too ! I suppose 
 everybody hates me now, and always will. I wish 
 I was dead and out of their way. But, oh ! no, I 
 don't ; for I'm not fit to die. Oh ! what shall I 
 do ? I wish it was I that was hurt instead of the 
 baby. I'd like to go away and hide from every 
 body that knows me ; then I shouldn't be a 
 curse and trouble to papa or any of them." 
 
 She lifted her head, and looked about her. It 
 was growing dusk. Quick as a flash came the 
 thought that now was her time ; now, while al 
 most everybody was so taken up with the critical 
 condition of the injured little one ; now, before 
 the servants had lighted the lamps in rooms and 
 halls. 
 
 She would slip down a back stairway, out into 
 the grounds, and away, she cared not whither.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 165 
 
 Always impulsive, and now full of mental dis 
 tress, she did not pause a moment to consider, 
 but, snatching up a hat and coat lying conven 
 iently at hand, stole noiselessly from the room, 
 putting them on as she went. 
 
 She gained a side-door without meeting any 
 one ; and the grounds seemed deserted as she 
 passed round the house and entered the avenue, 
 down which she ran with swift footsteps, after 
 one hasty glance around to make sure that she 
 was not seen. 
 
 She reached the great gates, pushed them 
 open, stepped out, letting them swing to after 
 her, and started on a run down the road. 
 
 But the next instant some one had caught her : 
 a hand was on her shoulder, and a stern, aston 
 ished voice cried, " Lulu ! is it possible this can 
 be you? What are you doing out here in the 
 public road alone, and in the darkness of even 
 ing? Where were you going? " 
 
 "I I don't want to tell you, papa," 
 she faltered. 
 
 " Where were you going? " he repeated, in a 
 tone that said an answer he would have, and that 
 at once. 
 
 ' ' Nowhere anywhere to get away from this 
 place, where everybody hates me ! " she replied 
 sullenly, trying to wrench herself free. " Please 
 let me go, and I'll never come back to trouble 
 you any more."
 
 166 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 He made no reply to that, but simply took her 
 band in a firm grasp, and led her back to the 
 house, back to her own room, where he shut 
 himself in with her, locking the door on the 
 inside. 
 
 Then he dropped her hand, and began pacing 
 the floor to and fro, seemingly in deep and trou 
 bled thought, his arms folded, his head bowed 
 upon his breast. 
 
 A servant had brought in a light during Lulu's 
 absence ; and now, looking timidly up at her 
 father, she saw his face for the first time since 
 they had bidden each other farewell a year be 
 fore. It struck her as not only very pale, stern, 
 and grief-stricken, but very much older and more 
 deeply lined than she remembered it : she did not 
 know that the change had been wrought almost 
 entirely in the last few hours, yet recognized it 
 with a pang nevertheless. 
 
 "Papa is growing old," she thought: "are 
 there gra}~ hairs in his head, I wonder? " Then 
 there came dimly to her recollection some Bible 
 words about bringing a father's gray hairs down 
 with sorrow to the grave. "Was her misconduct 
 killing her father?" She burst into an agony of 
 sobs and tears at the thought. 
 
 He lifted his head, and looked at her gravely, 
 and with mingled sternness and compassion. 
 
 "Take off that hat and coat, get your night 
 dress, and make yourself ready for bed," he
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 167 
 
 Commanded, then, stepping to the table, sat 
 down, drew the lamp nearer, opened her Bible, 
 lying there, and slowly turned over the leaves as 
 if in search of some particular passage, while she 
 moved slowly about the room, tremblingly and 
 tearfully obeying his order. 
 
 "Shall I get into bed, papa?" sly asked 
 tremulously, when she had finished. 
 
 " No, not yet. Come here." 
 
 She went and stood at his side, with drooping 
 head and fast-beating heart, her eyes on the car 
 pet, for she dared not look in his face. 
 
 He seemed to have found the passage he 
 sought ; and, keeping the book open with his left 
 hand, he turned to her as she stood at his right. 
 
 "Lucilla," he said, and his accents were not 
 stern, though very grave and sad, "you cannot 
 have forgotten that I have repeatedly and posi 
 tively forbidden you to go wandering alone about 
 unfrequented streets and roads, even in broad 
 daylight ; yet you attempted to do that very thing 
 to-night in the darkness, which, of course, makes 
 it much worse." 
 
 "'Yes, papa; but I I didn't mean ever to 
 come back." 
 
 " You were running away ? " 
 
 "Yes, sir: I I thought you would be glad 
 to get rid of me," she sobbed. 
 
 He did not speak again for a moment ; and 
 when he did, it was in moved tones.
 
 168 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Supposing I did desire to be rid of you, 
 which is very far from being the case, I should 
 have no right to let you go ; for you are my own 
 child, whom God has given to me to take care of, 
 provide for, and train up for his service. You 
 and I belong to each other as parent and child : 
 you have no right to run away from my care and 
 authority, and I have none to let 3-011 do so. In 
 fact, I feel compelled to punish the attempt quite 
 severely, lest there should be a repetition of it." 
 
 " Oh, don't, papa ! " she sobbed. " I'll never 
 do it again." 
 
 " It was an act of daring, wilful disobedience," 
 he said, " and I must punish } r ou for it. Also, 
 for the fury of passion indulged in this morning. 
 Read this, and this, aloud," he added, pointing 
 to the open page ; and she obeyed, reading falter 
 ing, sobbingly, 
 
 " ' Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child ; 
 but the rod of correction shall drive it far from 
 him.' . . . ' Withhold not correction from the 
 child : for if thou beatest him with the rod, he 
 shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, 
 and shalt deliver his soul from hell.' ' 
 
 " You see, my child, that my orders are too 
 plain to be misunderstood," he said, when she 
 had finished ; " and they must be obeyed, how 
 ever unwelcome to me or to you." 
 
 "Yes, papa; and and I I 'most want 
 you to whip me for hurting the baby so. I sup
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 169 
 
 pose nobody believes I'm sorry, but I am. I 
 could beat myself for it, though I didn't know it 
 was the baby pulling at my skirt. I thought it 
 was Rosie's dog." 
 
 " It is not exactly for hurting the baby," he 
 said; "if you had done that by accident, I 
 should never think of punishing you for it : but 
 for the fury of passion that betrayed you into 
 doing it, I must punish you very severely. 
 
 " I shudder to think what you may come to, if 
 I let you go on indulging your fiery, ungovernable 
 temper: yes, and to think what it has already 
 brought you to," he added, with a heavy sigh. 
 
 " You can never enter heaven unless you gain 
 the victory over that, as well as every other sin : 
 and, my daughter, there are but two places to 
 choose from as our eternal home, heaven and 
 hell ; and I must use every effort to deliver your 
 soul from going to that last dreadful place ! " 
 
 He rose, stepped to the window where her little 
 riding-whip still lay, came back to her ; and for 
 the next few minutes she forgot mental distress 
 in sharp, physical pain, as the stinging, though 
 not heavy, blows fell thick and fast on her thinly 
 covered back and shoulders. 
 
 She writhed and sobbed under them, but neither 
 screamed, nor pleaded for mercy. 
 
 When he had finished, he sat down again, and 
 drew the weeping, writhing child in between his 
 knees, put his arm about her in tender, fatherly
 
 170 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 fashion, and made her lay her head on his shoul 
 der ; but he said not a word. Perhaps his heart 
 was too full for speech. 
 
 Presently Lulu's arm crept round his neck. 
 "Papa," she sobbed, "I I do love you, and 
 I I'm glad you wouldn't let me run away, 
 and that you try to save me from losing my soul. 
 But oh, I can't be good ! I wish, I wish I 
 could! " she ended, with a bitter, despairing cry. 
 
 He was much moved. 
 
 "We will kneel down, and ask God to help 
 you, my poor, dear child," he said. 
 
 He did so, making her kneel beside him, while, 
 with his arm still about her, he poured out a 
 prayer so earnest and tender, so exactly describ 
 ing her feelings and her needs, that she could 
 join in it with all her heart. He prayed like one 
 talking to his Father and Friend, who he knew 
 was both able and willing to do great things for 
 him and his. 
 
 When they had risen from their knees, she 
 lifted her eyes to his face with a timid, pleading 
 look. 
 
 He understood the mute petition, and, sitting 
 down again, drew her to his knee, and kissed hei 
 several times with grave tenderness. 
 
 "I wanted a kiss so badly, papa," she said. 
 " You know, it is a whole year since I had one ; 
 and you never came home before without giving 
 me one just as soon as we met."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 171 
 
 " No ; but I never before had so little reason 
 to bestow a caress on you," he said. " When I 
 heard of your deed of this morning, I felt that I 
 ought not to show you any mark of favor, at least 
 not until I had given you the punishment you so 
 richly deserved. Do you not think I was right? " 
 
 "Yes, sir," she answered, hanging her head, 
 and blushing deeply. 
 
 " I will put you in your bed now, and leave 
 you for to-night," he said. " I must go back to 
 my little suffering baby and her almost heart 
 broken mother." 
 
 He led her to the bed, and lifted her into it as 
 he spoke. 
 
 "Papa, can't I have a piece of bread?" she 
 asked humbly. " I'm so hungry ! " 
 
 " Hungry ! " he exclaimed in surprise. " Had 
 you no supper? " 
 
 " No, sir, nor dinner either. I haven't had a 
 bite to eat since breakfast." 
 
 ' ' Strange ! " he said ; ' ' but I suppose you were 
 forgotten in the excitement and anxiety every one 
 in the house has felt ever since the baby's sad 
 fall. And they may have felt it unnecessary to 
 bring any thing to you, as you were quite able 
 to go to the dining-room for it." 
 
 "I couldn't bear to, papa," she said, with 
 tears of shame and grief ; " and, indeed, I wasn't 
 hungry till a little while ago ; but now I feel faint 
 and sick for something to eat."
 
 172 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "You shall have it," he replied, and went 
 hastily from the room, to return in a few min 
 utes, bringing a bowl of milk and a plentiful 
 supply of bread and butter. 
 
 He set them on the table, and bade her come 
 and eat. 
 
 " Papa, you are very kind to me, ever so much 
 kinder than I deserve," she said tremulously, as 
 she made haste to obey the order. "I think 
 some fathers would say I must go hungry for 
 to-night." 
 
 " I have already punished you in what I con 
 sider a better way, because it could not injure 
 your health," he said ; " while going a long time 
 without food would be almost sure to do so. It 
 is not my intention ever to punish my children in 
 a way to do them injury. Present pain is all I 
 am at all willing to inflict, and that only for their 
 good." 
 
 " Yes, papa, I know that," she said with a 
 sob, setting down her bowl of milk to wipe her 
 eyes ; "so, when you punish me, it doesn't make 
 me quit loving you." 
 
 " If I did not love you, if you were not my 
 own dear child," he said, laying his hand on her 
 head as he stood by her side, " I don't think I 
 could be at the trouble and pain of disciplining 
 you as I have to-night. But eat your supper : I 
 can't stay with you much longer, and I want to 
 Bee you in bed before I go."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 173 
 
 As she laid her head on her pillow again, there 
 was a flash of lightning, followed instantly by a 
 crash of thunder and a heavy downpour of rain. 
 
 " Do you hear that? " he asked. " Now, sup 
 pose I had let you go when I caught you trying 
 to run awa}-, how would you feel, alone out of 
 doors, in the darkness and storm, no shelter, no 
 home, no friends, no father to take care of you, 
 and provide for your wants ? ' ' 
 
 " O papa ! it would be very, very dreadful ! " 
 she sobbed, putting her arm round his neck as he 
 bent over her. " I'm very glad you brought me 
 back, even to punish me so severely ; and I don't 
 think I'll ever want to run away again." 
 
 " I trust not," he said, kissing her good-night ; 
 " and you must not leave this room till I give 
 you permission. I intend that you shall spend 
 some days in solitude, except when I see fit to 
 come to you, that you may have plenty of 
 time and opportunity to think over your sinful 
 conduct and its dire consequences."
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 "I'm on the rack; 
 
 For sure, the greatest evil man can know, 
 Bears no proportion to the dread suspense." 
 
 "Is there any change, doctor?" asked Capt. 
 Raymond, meeting Arthur Conly in the hall. 
 
 "Hardly," was the reply: "certainly none 
 for the worse." 
 
 " Will she get over it, do you think? " The 
 father's tones were unsteady as he asked the 
 question. 
 
 " My dear captain, it is impossible to tell yet," 
 Arthur said feelingly ; " but we must try to hope 
 for the best." 
 
 Their hands met in a warm clasp. 
 
 "I shall certainly do so," the captain said. 
 " But you are not going to leave us, especially 
 not in this storm ? ' ' 
 
 " No : I expect to pass the night in the house, 
 ready to be summoned at a moment's notice, 
 should any change take place." 
 
 " Thank you : it will be a great satisfaction to 
 us to know we have you close at hand." And 
 174
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 175 
 
 the captain turned and entered the nursery, which 
 Arthur had just left. 
 
 Violet, seated by the side of the crib where her 
 baby lay, looked up on her husband's entrance, 
 greeting him with a smile of mingled love and 
 
 ' ' Your dear presence is such a comfort and 
 support ! " she murmured as he drew near. " I 
 don't like to lose sight of you for a single moment." 
 
 "Nor i of you, dearest," he answered, bend 
 ing down to kiss her pale cheek, then taking a 
 seat close beside her; "but I had to seek soli 
 tude for a time while fighting a battle with my 
 self. Since that I have been with Lulu." 
 
 He concluded with a heavy sigh, and for a 
 moment both were silent ; then he said with 
 grave tenderness, 
 
 "I fear you will find it hard to forgive her: 
 it has been no easy thing for me to do so." 
 
 "I cannot yet," returned Violet, a hard look 
 that he had never seen there before stealing over 
 her face ; " and that is an added distress, for ' if 
 ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will 
 your Father forgive your trespasses.' I think I 
 can if my baby recovers ; but should it be 
 taken away or or, worse by far, live to be a 
 constant sufferer oh, how can I ever forgive 
 the author of that suffering ! Pray for me, my 
 dear husband," she sobbed, laying her head on 
 his shoulder.
 
 176 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " I will, I do, my darling," he whispered, pass* 
 ing his arm about her, and drawing her closer; 
 " and I know the help you need will be given. 
 
 " ' Ask, and it shall be given you.' 
 
 " Perhaps it may aid the effort, if I tell you 
 Lulu did not intentionally harm her little sister, 
 and is greatly distressed at her state. She 
 thought it was Rosie's dog pulling at her skirts ; 
 and I own that -that explanation makes the sad 
 affair a little less heart-rending to me, though 
 I could not accept it as any excuse for an act 
 done in a fury of passion, and have punished her 1 
 very severely for it; that is, for her passion. I 
 think it is right, under the circumstances, that 
 you should know that I have, and that it is my 
 fixed purpose to keep her in solitary confinement, 
 at least so long as the baby continues in a critical 
 condition." 
 
 ' ' Oh ! I am glad to know it was not done pur 
 posely," Violet exclaimed, though in a tone 
 hardly raised above a whisper, lifting her tear 
 ful eyes to his face with a look of something like 
 relief: "knowing that, I begin to feel that it 
 may be possible to forgive and forget, especially 
 if the consequences do not prove lasting," she 
 added with a sob, and turning her eyes to the lit 
 tle wan face on the pillow. "But I certainly 
 take no delight in the severity of her punish 
 ment : in fact, I fear it may destroy any little 
 affection she has had for her baby sister."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. Ill 
 
 "No," he said, "I am not at all apprehensive 
 Of that. When she found I was about to punish 
 her, she said she almost wanted me to ; that she 
 felt like beating herself for hurting the baby, 
 then went on to explain her mistake, thinking 
 it was the dog tugging at her dress, and I then 
 gave her fully to understand, that the chastise 
 ment was not for hurting the baby, but for in 
 dulging in such a fury of passion, a fault that I 
 have punished her for on more than one former 
 occasion ; telling her, too, that I intended to 
 chastise her every time I knew of her being guilty 
 of it." 
 
 The sound of a low sob caused the captain 
 to turn his head, to find his little Grace standing 
 at the back of his chair, and crying bitterly, 
 though without much noise. 
 
 He took her hand, and drew her to his side. 
 "What is the matter, daughter?" he asked ten 
 derly. 
 
 " O papa ! I'm so sorry for Lulu," she sobbed ; 
 " please, mayn't I go to her for a little while? " 
 
 " No, Gracie. I cannot allow her the pleasure 
 of seeing you, either to-night, or for some days." 
 
 "But, papa, you said you told mamma just 
 now that you had already punished her very 
 severely ; and must you keep on ? " 
 
 " Yes, my child, so far as to keep her in soli 
 tude, that she may have plenty of time to think 
 about what she has brought upon herself and
 
 178 ELSIE'S KITS AND KIN. 
 
 others by the indulgence of an ungovernable 
 temper. She needs to have the lesson impressed 
 upon her as deeply as possible." 
 
 "I'm so sorry for her, papa!" repeated the 
 gentle little pleader. 
 
 " So am I, daughter," he said ; " but I think, 
 that to see that she has the full benefit of this sad 
 lesson, will be the greatest kindness I can do her. 
 And my little Grace must try to believe that papa 
 knows best. 
 
 "Now, give me a good-night kiss, and go to 
 your bed, for it is quite time you were there." 
 
 As he spoke, he took her in his arms, and held 
 her for a moment in a close embrace. " Papa's 
 dear little girl ! " he said softly : ' ' you have 
 never given me a pang, except by your feeble 
 health." 
 
 " I don't want to, papa : I hope I never, never 
 shall ! " she returned, hugging him tight. 
 
 Leaving him, she went to Violet, put her arms 
 about her neck, and said in her sweet, childish 
 treble, " Dear mamma, don't feel so dreadfully 
 about baby : I've been asking God to make her 
 quite, quite well ; and I do believe he will." 
 
 When she had left the room, the captain found 
 himself alone with his young wife and their little 
 one. Again her head was on his shoulder, hia 
 arm about her waist. 
 
 "My husband, my dear, dear husband," she 
 murmured, " I am so glad to have you here ! I
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 179 
 
 % 
 
 jannot tell you how I longed for you when the 
 children were so ill. Oh, if we could only be 
 together always, as Lester and Elsie, Edward 
 and Zoe, are ! " 
 
 "My love, my life," he said in Low tones, 
 tremulous with feeling, "what if I should tell 
 jou that your wish is already accomplished ? " 
 
 She gave him a glance of astonishment and 
 incredulity. 
 
 "It is even so: I mean all I have said," he 
 answered to the look. " I have sent in my res 
 ignation : it has been accepted, and I have come 
 home no, I have come here to make a home 
 for you and my children, hoping to live in it with 
 you and them for the rest of my clays." 
 
 Her face had grown radiant. ' ' Oh ! can it be 
 true? " she cried, half under her breath ; for even 
 in her glad surprise, the thought of her suffering 
 babe and its critical condition was present with 
 her : ' ' are we not to be forced apart again in a 
 few days or weeks ? not to go on spending more 
 than half our lives at a distance from each 
 other?" 
 
 "It is quite true, my darling," he answered, 
 then went on to tell, in a few brief sentences, 
 how it had come about. 
 
 "It cost me a struggle to give up the service," 
 he said in conclusion ; " and perhaps I might not 
 have decided as I did, but for the thought that, 
 if I should be needed by my country at some fu-
 
 180 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 ture day, I could offer her my services ; and 
 the thought that, at present, wife and children 
 needed me more, probably, than she. I felt that 
 Lulu, in particular, needed my oversight and 
 training ; that the task of bringing her up was 
 too difficult, too trying, to be left to other hands 
 than those of her father ; and I feel that still 
 more sensibly since hearing of this day's do 
 ings," he added in a tone of heartfelt sorrow. 
 
 "I think you are right," Violet said. " She is 
 more willing to submit to your authority than 
 to that of anybody else ; as, indeed, she ought 
 to be : and in a home that she will feel is really 
 her own, her father's house, and with him con 
 stantly at hand, to watch over, and help her to 
 correct her faults, there is hope, I think, that she 
 may grow to be all you desire." 
 
 " Thank 3-011, love', for saying it," he respond 
 ed with emotion. " I could not blame you if 
 now you thought her utterly irreclaimable." 
 
 "No, oh, no!" she answered earnestly. "I 
 have great hopes of her, with her father at hand 
 to help her in the struggle with her temper ; for 
 I am sure she does struggle against it ; and 1 
 must acknowledge, that, for months past, she has 
 been as good and lovable a child as one could 
 desire. I don't know a more lovable one than 
 she is when her temper does not get the better of 
 her ; and, as Gracie says, whenever it does, ' she 
 gets sorry very soon.' "
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 181 
 
 *'My darling," he said, pressing the hand be 
 held, " you are most kind to be so ready to see 
 what is commendable in my wayward child. I 
 cannot reasonably expect even you to look at 
 her with her father's partial eyes. And dearly 
 as I certainly do love her, I have been exceed 
 ingly angry with her to-day ; so angry, that, for 
 a time, I dared not trust myself to go near her, 
 I, who ought to have unlimited patience with her, 
 knowing, as I do, that she inherits her temper 
 from me." 
 
 " I don't know how to believe that, my dear, 
 good husband," Violet said, gazing up into hia 
 face with fond, admiring eyes ; "for I have never 
 seen any evidence of it. If you have such a 
 temper, you have certainly gained complete mas 
 tery of it. And that may well give us hope for 
 Lulu." 
 
 " I do not despair of her," he said ; " though 
 I was near doing so to-day for a time after 
 hearing a full account of her passionate behavior 
 her savage assault, as it seemed to be, upon 
 her baby sister." 
 
 " Oh ! " moaned Violet, bending over the little 
 one with fast-falling tears, for it was moaning 
 as if in pain, "my baby, my poor, precious 
 baby ! how gladly mamma would bear all your 
 suffering for you, if she could ! O Levis ! what 
 shall we do if she is taken from us? " 
 
 <f Dear wife, I hope we may not be called ta
 
 182 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 endure that trial," he said; " but, in any case, 
 we have the gracious promise, 4 As thy days, so 
 shall thy strength be.' And that blessed assur 
 ance, for our consolation, in regard to her, ' He 
 shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry 
 them in his bosom.' ' 
 
 " 'Tis a very sweet promise ; but, oh ! I don't 
 know how to resign her, even to Him," she said, 
 weeping bitterly. 
 
 " Nor I ; but we will try to leave it all with 
 Him. We will rejoice if she is spared to us ; 
 and, if not, we will be glad to know that she is 
 BO safe, so happy with Him gathered with His 
 arm, carried in His bosom." 
 
 " Yes, yes," she sobbed : " it would be only 
 for ourselves we would need to grieve, not for 
 her, sweet pet." 
 
 Elsie, Violet's mother, came into the room at 
 that moment. 
 
 "My dear Vi," she said tenderly, "you are 
 looking sadly worn and weary. I want you and 
 the captain to take your rest to-night, while 
 Arthur and I will care for baby." 
 
 "Thank you, dearest mamma," Violet replied ; 
 " but rest and sleep are quite as necessary to 
 you as to me ; and, besides, I could not bear to 
 leave her." 
 
 " I took a nap on purpose to be able to sit up 
 to-night," Elsie said ; " also, I am less exhausted 
 by mental distress than her mother is, dearly as I
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 181 
 
 love her. Can you not trust her to me, with tht 
 doctor sharing my vigil? " 
 
 " I could trust your nursing sooner than mj 
 own, mother," Violet answered ; " it is not that; 
 but I cannot tear myself away from my darling 
 while she is in so critical a state." 
 
 "And I," said the captain, "while warmly 
 thanking you and the doctor, cannot consent to 
 leave either wife or baby to-night." 
 
 So, finding they were not to be persuaded to 
 rest, the others left them to watch over the little 
 one through that night. 
 
 The morning brought a slight change for the 
 better, yet no certainty of recovery ; but even 
 that barely perceptible improvement, joined to 
 the delightful prospect of always having her hus 
 band at home, cheered Violet greatly. 
 
 They had talked much of that through thf 
 night, beguiling the long hours of their tediuir 
 with many a bright plan for the future, always 
 hoping that "baby" would be a sharer in theii 
 realization. 
 
 The captain hoped to buy or build in the neai 
 neighborhood of Ion, that Violet need not b<; 
 separated from her mother, a separation he was 
 most desirous to avoid on his own account, also ; 
 for he entertained a very high regard and warm 
 affection for his mother-in-law, averring that it 
 would be scarcely possible for him to love hef 
 better were he her own son.
 
 J84 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 He had resigned to Violet the pleasure of tell 
 ing the joyful news to her mother and the whole 
 family, except his children ; reserving to himself 
 the right to communicate the glad tidings to 
 them when, and in what way, he should deem 
 best. 
 
 Lulu, he said, was to be kept in ignorance of 
 it till the time of her imprisonment expired. 
 
 At a very early hour in the morning, Elsie and 
 the doctor came to the relief of the watchers. 
 Arthur noted and announced the improvement, 
 thus reviving hope in the anxious hearts of the 
 parents ; and before retiring for a few hours' rest 
 and sleep, Violet whispered to them the news 
 that had gladdened her heart in spite of its heavy 
 load of grief and fear. 
 
 They both rejoiced with her, and bade her hope 
 for the best in regard to her babe. 
 
 Pain, mental and physical, kept Lulu awake a 
 good while after her father left her ; but at 
 length she fell into a deep sleep, which lasted far 
 beyond her customary hour for rising, the house 
 being very still, because of the baby's illness, 
 and the blinds down in her room, so that there 
 was neither light nor noise to rouse her. 
 
 Her first thoughts on awaking were a little con 
 fused : then, as with a flash, all the events of yes 
 terday came to her remembrance, bringing with 
 them bitter upbraidings of conscience, and tor 
 turing anxieties and fears.
 
 SLSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 185 
 
 Would the baby die ? oh ! perhaps it was al 
 ready dead, and she a murderess ! the murderess 
 of her own little sister her father's child ! 
 
 If that were so, how could she ever look him, 
 or anybody else, in the face again? And what 
 would be done to her? was there any danger that 
 she would be put in prison ? oh ! that would be 
 far worse than being sent to a boarding-school, 
 even where the people were as strict and as dis 
 agreeable as possible ! 
 
 And she would be sorry, oh, so sorry ! to lose 
 the baby sister, or to have her a sufferer from 
 what she had done, for life, or for years, even 
 could she herself escape all evil consequences. 
 
 All the time she was attending to the duties of 
 the toilet, these thoughts and feelings were in her 
 mind and heart ; and her fingers trembled so that 
 it was with difficulty she could manage buttons 
 and hooks and eyes, or stick in a pin. 
 
 She started at every sound, longing, yet dread 
 ing, as she had done the previous day, to 
 see her father ; for who could tell what news he- 
 might bring her from the nursery? 
 
 Glancing at the little clock on the mantel, 
 when at last she was quite dressed, and ready for 
 her breakfast, she saw that it was more than an 
 hour past the usual time for that meal ; yet no 
 one had been near her, and she was very hungry ; 
 but, even if her father had not forbidden her to 
 leave the room, she would have preferred thu
 
 186 ELBIE'S KITS AND KIN". 
 
 pangs of hunger to showing her face in tha 
 dining-room. 
 
 Presently, however, footsteps not those of 
 her father approached her door. 
 
 "Miss Lu," said a voice she recognized as 
 that of her mamma's maid, " please open de 
 doah: hyar's yo' breakfus." 
 
 The request was promptly complied with ; and 
 Agnes entered, carrying a waiter laden with a 
 bountiful supply of savory and toothsome vi 
 ands." 
 
 " Dar it am," she remarked, when she had set 
 it on the table. " I s'pose mos' likely yo' kin 
 eat ef de precious little darlin' is mos' killed by 
 means ob yo' bein' in a passion an' kickin' ob 
 her de sweet honey ! down de steps." 
 
 And turning swiftly about, her head in the air, 
 the girl swept from the room, leaving Lulu stand 
 ing in the middle of the floor, fairly struck dumb 
 with indignation, astonishment, and dismay. 
 
 ' ' How dared Agnes a mulatto servant-girl, 
 talk so to her ! But was the baby really dy 
 ing? Would papa never come to tell her the 
 truth about it? She wouldn't believe any thing 
 BO dreadful till she heard it from him : very likely 
 Agnes was only trying to torment her, and make 
 her as miserable as possible." 
 
 She had sunk, trembling, into a chair, feeling as 
 If she should never want to eat again ; but with 
 that last thought, her hopes revived, hunger once
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 187 
 
 more asserted its sway, and she ate her breakfast 
 with a good deal of appetite and relish. 
 
 But, when hunger was appeased, fears and 
 anxieties renewed their assault : she grew hall 
 distracted with them, as hour after hour passed 
 on, and no one came near her except another maid, 
 to take away the breakfast-dishes and tidy the 
 room. 
 
 On her, Lulu turned her back, holding an open 
 book in her hand, and pretending to be deeply 
 absorbed in its contents, though not a word of 
 the sense was she taking in ; for, intense as was 
 her desire to learn the baby's condition, she 
 would not risk any more such stabs to her sensi 
 tiveness and pride as had been given by Agnes. 
 
 This one came, did her work, and went away 
 again in silence ; but all the time she was in the 
 room, Lulu felt that she was casting glances of 
 disgust and disfavor at her. She could not 
 breathe freely till the girl had left the room. 
 
 She thought surely the dinner-hour would bring 
 her father ; but it did not : her wants were again 
 supplied by a servant.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ** The dread of evil is the worst of ill." 
 
 ON leaving the breakfast- room, Violet hastened 
 back to the nursery ; but the captain, calling 
 Max and Grace into her boudoir, said, as he took 
 the little girl on his knee, and motioned Max to 
 a seat by his side, 
 
 " I have some news for you, my children : can 
 you guess what it is? " 
 
 " Something good, I hope, papa," said Max : 
 *' you look as if it was." 
 
 " I am very much pleased with my share of 
 it," the captain said, smiling ; " and I shall know 
 presently, I presume, what you two think of 
 yours. What would you like it to be, Gracie? " 
 
 " That my papa was never, never going away 
 any more," she answered promptly, lifting loving 
 eyes to his face. 
 
 " There couldn't be better news than that," 
 remarked Max; "but," with a profound sigh, 
 " of course it can't be that." 
 
 " Ah ! don't be quite so sure, young man," 
 laughed his father. 
 188
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 189 
 
 *'Papa, you don't mean to say that that la 
 H?" queried Max breathlessly. 
 
 "I do: I have resigned from the navy, and 
 hope soon to have a home ready for my wife and 
 children, and to live in it with them as long as it 
 shall please God to spare our lives." 
 
 Tears of joy actually came into the boy's 
 eyes ; while Gracie threw her arms round their 
 father's neck, and half smothered him with kisses. 
 
 " O papa, papa ! " she cried, " I'm so glad, I 
 don't know what to do ! I'm the happiest girl in 
 the world ! or should be, if only the dear baby 
 was well," she added, with springing tears. 
 
 " Yes," he sighed : "we cannot feel other than 
 sad, while she is suffering and in danger. But 
 she is a trifle better this morning, and we will 
 hope the improvement may continue till she is 
 entirely restored." 
 
 "She's such a darling!" said Max; "just 
 the brightest, cutest baby that ever was seen ! 
 Mamma Vi has taught her to know your photo 
 graph ; and, whenever she sees it, she says, ' Papa,' 
 as plainly as I can. She calls me too, and Lu. 
 Oh! I don't know how Lulu could " He broke 
 off, without finishing his sentence. 
 
 " Lu didn't do it on purpose," sobbed Gracie, 
 pulling out her handkerchief to wipe her eyes. 
 
 " No," sighed the captain : " I am quite sure 
 she nad no intention of harming her little sister, 
 yet she is responsible for it as the consequent
 
 190 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 of indulging in a fit of rage ; she feels that : and 
 I hope the distress of mind she is now suffering, 
 because of the dreadful deed she has done in her 
 passion, will be such a lesson to her, that she will 
 learn to rule her own spirit in future." 
 
 "Oh, I do hope so! " aaid Grace. "Papa, 
 does Lulu know your good news? " 
 
 " No. I have not told her yet ; and I intend 
 to keep her in ignorance of it for some days, as 
 part of her deserved punishment. I do not want 
 her to have any thing to divert her mind from 
 the consideration of the great sin and danger of 
 such indulgence of temper." 
 
 "You haven't quit loving her, papa? you 
 tfon't?" Grace said, half entreatingly, half 
 inquiringly. 
 
 " No, daughter, oh, no ! " he replied with emo 
 tion. " I don't know what would ever make me 
 quit loving any one of my dear children." 
 
 He drew her closer, and kissed her fondly as 
 he spoke. 
 
 " I am very glad of that, papa," said Max 
 feelingly ; " for though I do mean to be always 
 a good son to you, if I ever should do any thing 
 very, very bad, I'd not be afraid to confess it to 
 you. I could stand punishment, you know ; but 
 I don't think I could bear to have you give up 
 being fond of me." 
 
 A warm pressure of the lad's hand was the 
 captain's only reply at first ; but presently ho
 
 XLSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 191 
 
 said, " I trast yon will always be perfectly open 
 with me, my dear boy. You don't think, do you, 
 that you could have a better more disinterested 
 earthly friend than your father?" 
 
 *' No, sir ! oh, no, indeed ! " 
 
 "Then make me your confidant," his father 
 said, with a smile and look that spoke volumes 
 of fatherly pride and affection ; "let me into al! 
 your secrets. Now that I am to be with you con 
 stantly, I shall take a deeper interest than ever 
 in all that concerns you, if that be possible, ic 
 your studies, your sports, your thoughts and feel 
 ings. You may always be sure of my sympathy, 
 and such help as I can give in every right and 
 wise undertaking." 
 
 " I'll do that, papa ! " Max exclaimed with a 
 sudden, glad, lighting-up of the face. " Why, 
 it'll be as good as having the brother I've often 
 wished for ! " he added with a pleased laugh ; 
 " better, in some ways, anyhow ; for you'll be so 
 much wiser than any boy, and keep me out of 
 scrapes with your good advice." 
 
 "Papa," queried Grace, with a little bashful 
 hesitation, " mayn't I have you for my friend 
 too?" 
 
 "Yes, indeed, my darling little girl!" he 
 answered with a hug and kiss. "I should like 
 to be quite as intimate with you as I hope to be 
 with Max." 
 
 " With Lulu too?" she asked.
 
 192 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "Yes ; with every one of my children." 
 
 Max had averted his face to hide his amuse- 
 ment at his little sister's question in regard to 
 her father's friendship for herself, for the timid, 
 sensitive little girl could hardly bear to be laughed 
 at ; but now he turned to his father again with 
 the query, 
 
 *' Papa, where are we going to live? " 
 
 ** I don't know yet, Max," the captain answered ; 
 " but I hope to be able to buy or build somewhere 
 in this neighborhood, as I should be loath to take 
 your mamma far away from her mother, myself 
 either, for that matter ; and I presume you would 
 all prefer to live near these kind friends? " 
 
 "I am sure I should," said Max. "But, 
 papa," he paused, coloring, and casting down 
 his eyes. 
 
 " "Well, my boy, what is it? don't be afraid to 
 talk freely to your intimate friend," his father 
 said in a kindly tone, and laying a hand affec 
 tionately on the lad's shoulder. 
 
 "Please don't think me impertinent, papa," 
 Max said, coloring still more, "but I was just 
 going to ask how you could live without your 
 pay ; as I have heard you say it was nearly all 
 you had." 
 
 " I am not at all offended at the inquiry," was 
 the kindly reply. " The intimacy and confi 
 dences are not to be all on one side, my boy; 
 I am quite willing you should know that J
 
 ELBIE'S KITH AND KIN. 199 
 
 am able now to do without the pay, some land 
 belonging to me in the Far West having so risen 
 in value as to afford me sufficient means for the 
 proper support of my family, and education of 
 my children." 
 
 " Oh, that is good ! " cried Max, clapping his 
 hands in delight. " And if it is used up by the 
 time I'm grown and educated, I hope I'll be able 
 to take care of you, and provide for you as you 
 do now for me." 
 
 "Thank you, rny dear boy," the captain said 
 with feeling ; " the day may come when you will 
 be the stay and staff of my old age ; but, how 
 ever that may be, you may be sure that nothing 
 can add more to your father's happiness than 
 seeing you growing up to honorable and Christian 
 manhood." 
 
 " Yes, sir : it's what I want to do." Then, a 
 little anxiously, after a moment's thought, " Am 
 I to be sent away to school, sir? " 
 
 "I have not ^uite decided that question, and 
 your wishes will have great weight with me in 
 making the decision. I shall keep Lulu at home, 
 and educate her myself, act as her tutor, I 
 mean, and if my boy would like to become 
 my pupil also " 
 
 " O papa ! indeed, indeed I should ! " ex 
 claimed Max joyfully, as his father paused, look 
 ing smilingly at him; "and I'll try hard to dc 
 you credit as my teacher as well as my father."
 
 194 ELSIE'S KITE AND KIN. 
 
 "Then we will make the trial," said the cap* 
 tain. "If it should not prove a success, there 
 will be time enough after that to try a school." 
 
 "What about me, papa?" asked Grace wist 
 fully, feeling as if she were being overlooked iq 
 the arrangements. 
 
 " You, too, shall say lessons to papa," he an 
 swered with tender look and tone. " Shall you 
 like that?" 
 
 "Ever so much ! " she exclaimed, lifting glad, 
 shining eyes to his face. 
 
 "Now you may go back to your play," he 
 said, gently putting her off his knee. "I must 
 go to your mamma and our poor, suffering 
 baby." 
 
 He went ; but the children lingered a while 
 where they were, talking over this wonderfully 
 good news. 
 
 "Now," said Max, "if Lu had only controlled 
 her temper yesterday, what a happy family we'd 
 be!" 
 
 "Yes," sighed Grace; "how I do wish she 
 ha.d ! Oh, I'm so sorry for her, that she doesn't 
 know .this about papa going to stay with us all 
 the time ! 'Sides, she's 'specting to be sent away 
 somewhere ; and how dreadfully she must feel ! 
 Papa's punishing her very hard, and very long ; 
 but of course he knows best, and he loves her." 
 
 "Yes, I'm sure he does," assented Max: 
 *' so he won't give her any more punishment
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN 195 
 
 than he thinks she needs. It'll be a fine thing 
 for her, and all the rest of us too, if this hard 
 lesson teaches her never to get into a passion 
 again." 
 
 Capt. Raymond had intended going to Lulu 
 early in the day ; but anxiety about the babe, 
 and sympathy with Violet, kept him with them 
 till late in the afternoon. 
 
 When at last he did go to his prisoner, he 
 found her feverish with anxiety and fear for the 
 consequences of her mad act of the day before. 
 
 She had been longing for his coming, moving 
 restlessly about the room, feeling that she could 
 not endure the suspense another moment ; had at 
 length thrown herself into a chair beside the 
 window, and, as was her wont in times of over 
 wrought feeling, buried her face on her folded 
 arms, laid on the window-sill. 
 
 She started up wildly at the sound of his step 
 and the opening of the door. 
 
 "Papa," she cried breathlessly, "O papa! 
 what what have you come to tell me ? Is is 
 the baby" 
 
 " She is living, but far from out of danger," 
 he said, regarding her with a very grave, stern 
 expression; but it softened as he marked the 
 anguish in her face. 
 
 He sat down, and drew her to his knee, putting 
 his arm about her waist, and with the other hand 
 clasping one of hers.
 
 196 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 He was startled to feel how hot and dry it 
 was. 
 
 "My child!" he exclaimed, "you are not 
 Well." 
 
 She dropped her head on his shoulder, and 
 burst into a passion of tears and sobs. " Papa, 
 papa ! what shall I do if baby dies ? Oh ! I 
 would do or bear any thing in the world to make 
 her well." 
 
 "I don't doubt it, daughter," he said; "but 
 a bitter lesson we all have to learn is, that we 
 cannot undo the evil deeds we have done. Oh ! 
 let this dreadful occurrence be a warning to you 
 to keep a tight rein upon your quick temper." 
 
 " Oh ! I do mean to, indeed I do," she sobbed ; 
 "but that won't cure the dear baby's hurt. Papa, 
 all day long I have been asking God to forgive 
 me. Do you think he will? " 
 
 "I am sure that he has already done so, if you 
 have asked with your heart, and for Jesus' sake. 
 But we will ask him again for that, and to give 
 you strength to fight against your evil nature as 
 you never have fought, and to conquer." 
 
 " And to make the baby well, papa," she add 
 ed sobbingly, as he knelt with her. 
 
 " Yes," he said. 
 
 When they had risen from their knees, he bade 
 her get her hat and coat, saying, " You need 
 fresh air and exercise. I will take you for a 
 walk."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 197 
 
 '* I'd like to go, papa," she said ; " but " 
 
 "But what?" 
 
 "I I'm afraid of of meeting some of the 
 family; and and I don't want to see any of 
 them." 
 
 "Perhaps we shall not meet them," he said; 
 ** and, if we do, }'ou need not look toward them ; 
 and they will not speak to you. Put on your 
 hat and coat at once : we have no time to 
 lose." 
 
 She obeyed ; and presently they were walking 
 down the avenue, not having met any one on 
 their way out of the house. 
 
 The captain moved on in silence, seemingly 
 absorbed in sad thought, and hardly conscious 
 that Lulu was by his side. 
 
 She glanced wistfully up into his grave, stern 
 face two or three times, then said humbly, plead 
 ingly, "Papa, please may I put my hand in 
 yours?" 
 
 " Certainly," he said, looking down at her very 
 kindly, as he took her hand, and held it in a 
 warm, affectionate clasp. " Child, you have not 
 lost your father's love. You are very dear to 
 me, in spite of all your naughtiness." 
 
 He slackened his pace, for he saw she was 
 finding it difficult to keep up with him ; and his 
 attention was again attracted to the heat of her 
 band. 
 
 " You are not well, perhaps not able to walk ? "
 
 198 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 be said inquiringly, and in tenderly solicitous 
 accents. 
 
 "It is pleasant to be out in the air, papa," 
 she answered ; "but it tires me a good deal more 
 than usual." 
 
 "We will not go far, then," he said ; " and, 
 if your strength gives out before we get back to 
 the house, I will carry you." 
 
 They were in the road now, some distance be 
 yond the avenue-gates ; and at this moment a 
 number of horsemen came in sight, approaching 
 from the direction opposite to that they were 
 taking. 
 
 Perceiving them, Lulu uttered a sharp cry of 
 terror, and shrank behind her father, though still 
 clinging to his hand. 
 
 "What is it, daughter?" he asked in surprise : 
 " what do you fear? " 
 
 "O para, papa ! " she sobbed. " are they com 
 ing to take me and put me in prison? Oh, don't 
 let them have me ! " 
 
 "Don't be frightened," he said soothingly. 
 * Don't you see it is only some men who have 
 been out hunting, and are going home with their 
 game?" 
 
 "Oh! is that all?" she gasped, the color 
 coming back to her face, which had grown dead 
 ly pale. "I thought it was the sheriff coming to 
 put me in jail for hurting the baby. Will they 
 do it, papa ? Oh ! you won't let them, will you ? " 
 she cried entreating'r.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 199 
 
 "I could not protect you from the law," he 
 said, in a moved tone ; " but I think there is no 
 danger that it will interfere. You did not hurt 
 your sister intentionally, and she is still living. 
 You are very young too ; and, doubtless, every 
 body will think your punishment should be left 
 to me, your father." 
 
 She was trembling like a leaf. 
 
 He turned aside to a fallen tree, sat down on 
 it, and took her in his arms. She dropped her 
 head on his shoulder, panting like a hunted thing. 
 
 " These two days have been too much for 
 you," he said pityingly. "And that fear has 
 tormented you all the time?" 
 
 " Yes, papa : oh, I thought I might have to be 
 hung if baby died, and it was so dread-* 
 ful to think I'd killed her even if they didn't 
 do any thing to me for it," she sobbed. 
 
 " Yes ; very, very dreadful ; perhaps more so 
 to me the father of you both than to any 
 one else," he groaned. 
 
 ' Papa, I'm heart-broken about it," she sobbed. 
 "Oh, if I only could undo it ! " 
 
 He was silent for a moment ; then he said, " I 
 know you are suffering very much from remorse ; 
 this is a bitter lesson to you ; let it be a lasting 
 one. I can relieve you of the fear of punish 
 ment from the law of the land ; there is no 
 danger of that now : but, if you do not lay this 
 lesson to heart, there may come a time when that
 
 200 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 danger will be real ; for there is no knowing 
 what awful deed such an ungovernable temper 
 as yours may lead you to commit. 
 
 " But don't despair : you can conquer it by de 
 termination, constant watchfulness, and the help 
 from on high which will be given in answer to 
 earnest prayer." 
 
 "Then it shall be conquered!" she cried 
 vehemently. " I will fight it with all my might. 
 And you will help me, papa, all you can, won't 
 you, by watching me, and warning me when you 
 see I'm beginning to get angry, and punishing 
 me for the least little bit of a passion ? But oh, 
 I forget that you can't stay with me, or take me 
 with you ! ' ' she cried with a fresh burst of sobs 
 and tears. " Must you go back to your ship 
 soon ? ' ' 
 
 "Not very soon," he said; "and I gladly 
 promise to help you all I can in every way. I 
 can do it with my prayers, even when not close 
 beside you. But, my child, the struggle must 
 be j'our own ; all I can do will be of no avail 
 unless you fight the battle yourself with all your 
 strength. 
 
 " We will go home now,'' he added, rising, 
 and taking her hand in his. 
 
 But they had gone only a few steps when he 
 stooped, and took her in his arms, saying, 
 *' You are not able to walk. I shall carry you." 
 
 " But I am so heavy, papa," she objected.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 201 
 
 '* No, darling : I can carry yon very easily," 
 he said. " There, put your arm round my neck, 
 and lay your head on my shoulder." 
 
 The pet name from his lips sent a thrill of joy 
 to her heart ; and it was very pleasant, very rest 
 ful, to feel herself infolded in his strong arms. 
 
 He carried her carefully, tenderly along, hold 
 ing her close, as something precious that he 
 began to fear might slip from his grasp. She 
 had always been a strong, healthy child, and 
 heretofore he had scarcely thought of sickness 
 in connection with her ; but now he was alarmed 
 at her state. 
 
 " Are you in pain, daughter?" he asked. 
 
 " Only a headache, papa ; I suppose because 
 I've cried so much." 
 
 " I think I must have the doctor see you." 
 
 " Oh, no, no, papa ! please don't," she sobbed. 
 " I don't want to see him or anybody." 
 
 ' ' Then we will wait a little ; perhaps you will 
 be all right again by to-morrow." 
 
 He did not set her clown till they had almost 
 reached the house ; and he took her in his arms 
 again at the foot of the stairway, and carried 
 her to her room, where he sat down with her on 
 his knee. 
 
 " Papa, aren't you very tired, carrying such a 
 big, heavy girl? " she asked, looking regretfully 
 into his face, 
 
 "No; very little," he answered, taking off
 
 202 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 her hat, and laying his cool hand on her fore 
 head. " Your head is very hot. I'll take off 
 your coat, and lay you on the bed ; and I want 
 you to stay there for the rest of the day ; go to 
 sleep if you can." 
 
 "I will, papa," she answered submissively; 
 den as he laid her down, and turned to leave her, 
 " Oh, I wish you could stay with me ! " she cried, 
 clinging to him. 
 
 "I cannot now, daughter," he said, smooth- 
 Ing her hair caressingly. "I must go back to 
 your mamma and the baby. But I will come in 
 again to bid you good-night, and see that you 
 are as comfortable as I can make you. Can you 
 eat some supper ? ' ' 
 
 " I don't know, papa," she answered doubt- 
 fully. 
 
 " "Well, I will send you some ; and you can eat 
 it, or not, as you feel inclined."
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 u After the storm, a calm; after the rain, sunlight." 
 
 As Capt. Raymond passed through the hall 
 on which Lulu's room opened, a little girl, dressed 
 in deep mourning, rose from the broad, low sill 
 of the front window, where she had been sitting 
 waiting for the last few minutes, and came for 
 ward to meet him. She was a rather delicate- 
 looking, sweet-faced child, with large dark eyes, 
 full of intelligence. 
 
 " Capt. Raymond? " she said inquiringly, and 
 with a timid look up into his face. 
 
 "Yes," he said, holding out his hand to her 
 with a fatherly smile : " and you, I suppose, are 
 my Lulu's little friend, Evelyn Leland? " 
 
 "Yes, sir: we uncle Lester, aunt Elsie, 
 little Ned, and I have been away visiting at 
 some distance, and did not hear of of the 
 baby's bad fall till we came home this afternoon. 
 We are all so sorry, so very sorry ! Aunt Elsie 
 is with aunt Vi now ; and I oh ! please, sir, may 
 I go to Lulu?" 
 
 " My dear little girl, I should like to say yes, 
 
 am
 
 204 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 for your sake, and Lulu's too, but for ths 
 present I think best not to allow her to see any 
 one," he said in a kindly tone, and affectionately 
 pressing the little hand she had put into his. 
 "But," seeing the disappointment in her face, 
 *'I entirely approve of the intimacy, and hope 
 it will be kept up ; for I think it has been of 
 benefit to Lulu." 
 
 "Thank you, sir," she returned, coloring with 
 pleasure. " But Lulu told me you had quite de 
 termined to send her away from here : I hope 
 you will reconsider, and let her stay," with a 
 very coaxing look up into his face. 
 
 He smiled. "Can you keep a secret?" he 
 asked, " one from Lulu only, and that for but 
 a few days?" 
 
 "Try me, sir," she answered brightly. 
 
 " I will. I have left the navy, and expect to 
 settle down in this neighborhood. In that case, 
 you and Lulu will not be separated ; for my 
 strongest reason for the change was, that I might 
 have her constantly with me, and train her up as 
 I think she should be trained ; as perhaps no one 
 but her father can train her." 
 
 Evelyn's face had grown very bright. " Oh, 
 how delighted, how happ} r Lu will be when she 
 hears it ! " she exclaimed ; " for, do you know, 
 sir, she thinks there is nobody in the world to 
 compare to her father? " 
 
 Those words brought a glad look into his face 
 for the moment.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN 205 
 
 "Yes," he said, " she is a warm-hearted, af 
 fectionate child ; a dear child, in spite of her 
 quick temper." 
 
 A door had opened and closed : a step was 
 coming down the hall, and a cheerful voice in his 
 rear said, " Captain, I have good news for you : 
 there has been a great, a really wonderful change 
 for the better in the last hour ; the child will live, 
 and I hope, I believe, entirely recover from the 
 injuries caused by her fall." 
 
 Before the doctor's sentence was finished, the 
 captain had turned, and caught his hand in a 
 vice-like grasp : his eyes filled, his breast heaved 
 with emotions too big for utterance ; he shook 
 the hand warmly, dropped it, and, without a word, 
 hurried into the nursery. 
 
 He found nearly the whole family gathered 
 there, every face full of a great gladness. 
 
 The doctor, however, following him in, speed 
 ily cleared the room of all but two or three : 
 only the two Elsies, besides himself and the 
 parents, were left. 
 
 Violet looked up at her husband as he entered, 
 with a face so bright and joyous that it recalled 
 the days of their honeymoon. 
 
 \"Oh, how happy I am! how good God has 
 been to us ! " she whispered, as he bent down to 
 kiss her: "our darling is spared to us! See 
 how sweetly she is sleeping ! " 
 
 "Yes," he returned, in the same low tone, his
 
 206 ELBIE'S KITH AND KIN- 
 
 features working with emotion : " and what 
 double reason for joy and gratitude have I the 
 father of both the injurer and the injured ! " 
 
 "Forgive me that I have felt a little hard to 
 Lulu. I can and do forgive her now," she said, 
 her sweet eyes looking penitently into his. 
 
 "Darling," he returned with emotion, "I 
 have nothing to forgive, but shall be very glad 
 if you can find any love in your heart, after this, 
 for my wayward child, little as she merits it." 
 
 Then, without waiting for a reply, he turned 
 to Mrs. Leland with a brotherly greeting, not 
 having seen her before since his arrival at Ion. 
 
 " Vi has told me the glad tidings you "brought 
 her yesterday," she said, as he held her hand in 
 his ; " and I can't tell you how delighted we all 
 are to know that you have come to stay among 
 us." 
 
 " And now I can rejoice in that to the full, my 
 dear, dear husband," Violet said, dropping her 
 head on his shoulder as he sat down by her side, 
 and put his arm about her. 
 
 For a little while they all sat silently watching 
 the sleeping babe ; then Arthur glanced at the 
 clock, and, with a low-toned promise to be back 
 hi an hour, rose, and left the room. 
 
 "Excuse me for a little, dear," the captain 
 said to Violet, and softly followed Arthur out to 
 the hall. 
 
 " Can you spare me a moment? " he asked.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 207 
 
 "Yes, full five of them, if necessary/' was 
 the jovial reply. 
 
 Arthur's heart was so light in consequence of 
 the improvement in his young patient, that a jest 
 came readily to his lips. 
 
 "Thank you," returned the captain warmly, 
 then went on to describe Lulu's condition, and 
 ask what should be done for her. 
 
 " Relieve her mind as speedily as possible 
 with the good news of the certainty of the baby's 
 recovery, and, if you choose, the other glad tid 
 ings you brought us yesterday, "Arthur answered. 
 " The mental strain of the past two days has 
 evidently been too much for her : she must have 
 suffered greatly from grief, remorse, and terror. 
 Relief from those will be the best medicine she 
 could have, and probably work a speedy cure. 
 Good-evening." 
 
 He hurried away, and the captain went at once 
 to Lulu. 
 
 She was on the bed where he had left her, but, 
 at the opening of the door, started up, and turned 
 to him with a look of wild affright. 
 
 "Papa!" she cried breathlessly, is is the 
 baby? Oh, no ! for how glad your face is ! " 
 
 " Yes, baby is very much better ; in fact, quite 
 out of danger, the doctor thinks. And you? 
 have you not slept?" he asked, bending over 
 her in tender solicitude ; for she had fallen back 
 on her pillow, and was sobbing as if her, heart
 
 208 ELSIE S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 would break, weeping for joy as she had before 
 wept with sorrow, remorse, and penitence. 
 
 He lifted her from the bed, and sat down with 
 her in his arms. 
 
 " Don't cry so, daughter, dear," he said sooth 
 ingly, softly caressing her hair and cheek : " it 
 will make your head ache still more." 
 
 " I can't help it, papa : I'm so glad, so very, 
 very glad ! " she sobbed ; "so glad the dear baby 
 will get well, and that I I'm not a murderess. 
 Papa, won't you thank God for me? " 
 
 " Yes," he said with emotion, " for you and 
 myself and all of us." 
 
 When they had risen from their knees, " Now 
 I hope you can sleep a while, and afterward eat 
 some supper," he said, lifting her, and gently 
 laying her on the bed again. 
 
 "O papa! I wish you could stay with me a 
 little longer," she cried, clinging to his hand. 
 
 " I cannot stay now, daughter," he said ; " but 
 I will come in again to bid you good-night." 
 
 He leaned over her, and kissed her several 
 times. She threw her arm round his neck, and 
 drew him down closer. 
 
 "Dear, dear papa!" she sobbed: "you are 
 the best father in the world ! and oh, I wish I 
 was a better girl ! Do you think I I'm a curse 
 to you now? " 
 
 "I think I believe you are going to be a 
 very great blessing to me, my own darling/ 1 he
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 209 
 
 answered in tones tremulous with emotion. "I 
 fear I was hard and cruel in what I said when 
 I came to you that first time last night." 
 
 "No, papa, I deserved it every bit; but it 
 'most broke my heart, because I love you so. Oh, 
 I do want to be a blessing to you, and I mean to 
 try with all my might ! " 
 
 " My dear little girl, my own little daughter, 
 that is all I can ask," he said, repeating his 
 caresses. 
 
 Then he covered her up with tender care, and 
 left her, weary and exhausted with the mental 
 suffering of the last two days, but with a heart 
 singing for joy over his restored affection and 
 the assurance of the baby's final recovery. 
 
 She expected to stay awake till he came again, 
 but in less than five minutes was fast asleep. 
 
 The captain found Max and Gracie hovering 
 near as he passed out into the hall. 
 
 "Papa," they said, coming hastily forward, 
 " may we go in to see Lulu now? " Max adding, 
 " I was too angry with her at first to want to see 
 her, but I've got over that now." Grace : " And 
 mayn't she know now that we're going to keep 
 you always at home? " taking his hand in both of 
 hers, and looking up coaxingly into his face. 
 
 " No, my dears, not to-night," he said : " she 
 has cried herself sick has a bad headache, and 
 I want her to try to sleep it off." 
 
 " Poor Lu ! she must have been feeling awfully
 
 210 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 all this time," Max said. " I wish I hadn't beea 
 so very angry with her." 
 
 "You look very happy you two," their 
 father said, smiling down at them. 
 
 "So do you, sir," returned Max ; "and I'm 
 so glad, for you've been looking heart-broken 
 ever since you came home." 
 
 "Pretty much as I have felt," he sighed, 
 patting Grade's cheek as he spoke. 
 
 " We are just as happy as we can be, papa," 
 she said ; " only I " 
 
 "Well?" he said inquiringly as she paused, 
 leaving her sentence unfinished. 
 
 " I'm just hungry to sit on your knee a little 
 while; but," ruefully, "I s'pose you haven't 
 time." 
 
 " Come into the nursery with me, and you shall 
 sit there as long as you like, and are willing to 
 keep perfectly quiet, so as not to disturb baby." 
 
 "Oh! thank you, papa," she returned joy 
 ously, slipping her hand into his. " I'll be as 
 quiet as a mouse." 
 
 "I hope my turn will come to-morrow," 
 remarked Max. " I've a hundred questions I 
 want to ask." 
 
 "As many as you like, my boy, when I have 
 time to listen ; though I don't promise to answer 
 them all to your entire satisfaction," his father 
 replied, as he passed on into the nursery, taking 
 Grace with him.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 211 
 
 Max went down-stairs, where he found Evelyn 
 Leland sitting alone in one of the parlors, wait 
 ing till her aunt Elsie should be ready to go back 
 to Fairview. 
 
 "Max," she said, as he came in, and took a 
 seat at her side, " you have just the nicest kind 
 of a father ! " 
 
 "Yes, that's so!" he returned heartily: 
 "there couldn't be a better one." 
 
 " I wish he would let me see Lu," Evelyn went 
 on : "I was in hopes he would after the doctor 
 had told him the baby was sure to get well." 
 
 " I think he would, but that Lu has cried her 
 self sick, and he wants her to sleep off her head 
 ache. He refused to let Gracie and me in for 
 that reason." 
 
 "Poor thing ! " Evelyn exclaimed, tears spring 
 ing to her eyes. " I should think it must have 
 been almost enough to set her crazy. But how 
 happy she will be when she hears that your father 
 isn't going away again, and means to keep her at 
 home with him." 
 
 "Yes, indeed; she'll go wild with joy; it's 
 what all three of us have wanted to have happen 
 more than any thing else we could think of. 
 
 "I've often envied boys that could live at 
 home with their fathers ; though," he added with 
 a happy laugh, " I've said to myself many a 
 time, that mine was enough nicer than theirs to 
 make up for having to dc without him so much
 
 212 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 of the time ; at least, I'd never have been willing 
 to swap fathers with one of 'em. No, indeed ! " 
 
 "Of course not," said Evelyn. "And I'm 
 so delighted that Lu and I are not to be sepa 
 rated ! I can hardly wait to talk with her about 
 it, and the good times we'll have together." 
 
 A nap and a nice supper had refreshed Lulu a 
 good deal ; but she felt weak and languid, and 
 was lying on the bed again when her father re 
 turned to her room. 
 
 She looked up at him wistfully as he came 
 and stood beside her, then her eyes filled with 
 tears. 
 
 "What is it?" he asked, lifting her from the 
 bed, seating himself, and drawing her into his 
 arms : " what is your petition? for I read in your 
 eyes that you have one to make." 
 
 "Papa, you won't send me away very 
 soon, will you? " she pleaded in tremulous tones, 
 her arm round his neck, her face hidden on his 
 shoulder. 
 
 " Not till I go myself; then I shall take you 
 with me." 
 
 " To a boarding-school? " she faltered. 
 
 " No : I'm going to put you in a private fam 
 ily." 
 
 Her face was still hidden, and she did not 
 see the smile in his eyes. 
 
 "What kind of people are thej', papa?" she 
 asked with a deep-drawn sigh.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 213 
 
 ''Very nice people, I think: the wife and 
 mother is a very lovely woman, and the four 
 children a boy and three girls are, I pre 
 sume, neither better nor worse than my own four. 
 The gentleman, who will teach you himself, along 
 with the others, and have the particular care and 
 oversight of you, is perhaps rather stern and 
 severe with any one who ventures to disobey his 
 orders ; but I am quite certain, that, if you are 
 good and obedient, he will be very kind and 
 indulgent, possibly a trifle more indulgent than 
 he ought to be." 
 
 Lulu began to cry again. " I don't like men- 
 teachers ! " she sobbed. " I don't like a man to 
 have any thing to do with me. Please, please 
 don't send me there, papa ! " 
 
 " You want me to relent, and let you stay on 
 here if they will have you? " 
 
 " No, no, papa ! I don't want to stay here ! 
 I don't want to see anybody here again, except 
 Max and Gracie ; because I'm so ashamed of 
 of what I've done. I couldn't look any of them 
 in the face, for I know they must despise me." 
 
 "I am sure you are mistaken in that, my 
 child," he said gravely. "But what is it you 
 do desire ? ' ' 
 
 " To be with you, papa. Oh, if I could only 
 go with you ! " 
 
 " And leave Max and Gracie? " 
 
 " I'll have to leave them, anyhow, if you take
 
 214 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 me away from here ; and, though I love them 
 very much, I love you a great deal better." 
 
 " I'm afraid you would have a doleful time on 
 shipboard, with no young companions, nobody 
 to see or speak to but your father and the other 
 officers." 
 
 "I wouldn't care for that, or any thing, if I 
 could only be with you. Papa, you don't know 
 faow I love you ! ' ' 
 
 "Then, I'll take you with me when I leave 
 here ; and you need never live away from me 
 any more, unless you choose." 
 
 " Papa," she cried, lifting her head to look up 
 into his face, with glad, astonished eyes, "do 
 you really mean it? May I go with you? " 
 
 He held her close, with a joyous laugh. 
 
 " Why, I understood j r ou to say, a moment 
 since, that you didn't want to be in the care of 
 a man, any man. ' ' 
 
 " But you know I didn't mean you, papa." 
 
 ' ' But I am the gentleman I spoke of a little 
 while ago, as the one in whose care I intended to 
 put you." 
 
 "Papa," she said, with a bewildered look, " I 
 don't understand." 
 
 Then he told her ; and she was, as Max had 
 foreseen, almost wild with delight. 
 
 "Oh! " she cried, "how nice, nice it will be 
 to have a home of our very own, and our father 
 with us all the time ! Papa, I think I sha'n't 
 leep a wink to-night, I'm so glad."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 215 
 
 " I trust it will not have that effect," he said. 
 " I hesitated a little about telling you to-night, 
 lest it might interfere with your rest ; but you 
 seemed so unhappy about your future prospects, 
 that I felt I must relieve you of the fear of being 
 sent away among strangers." 
 
 " You are so very good and kind to me, papa," 
 she returned gratefully. "Where is our dear 
 home to be ? " 
 
 " I don't know, yet," he said. " I have not 
 had time to look about in search of house or 
 land ; but I hope to be able to buy or build a 
 house somewhere in this region, as near Ion as 
 a pleasant location can be found." 
 
 " I hope you'll find a house ready built, papa," 
 she said. " I shouldn't know how to wait for 
 one to be built." 
 
 "Not if, by waiting, we should, in the end, 
 have a much nicer, pleasanter one? " 
 
 She considered a moment. " Couldn't we rent 
 a house to live in while we get our own built? " 
 
 " I think that plan might answer quite well," 
 he said with a smile. " I had no idea you were 
 such a business woman. Probably that is what 
 we will do, for I am as anxious to get to house 
 keeping as even you can be." 
 
 " But, papa," she exclaimed, with a look as if 
 struck by a sudden and not very pleasant thought, 
 ' ' may I will you be vexed if I ask you some 
 thing?"
 
 216 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Suppose you find out by asking? " 
 
 "I I hope you won't think it's impertinence, 
 papa, I don't mean it for that," she said with 
 hesitation, hanging her head, and blushing ; 
 " but but I hope it isn't mamma Vi's money 
 we're to live on?" 
 
 He put his hand under her chin, and lifted her 
 face, so that he could look down into her eyes ; 
 and she drew a long breath of relief as she per 
 ceived that he was smiling at her. 
 
 " No," he said. "You come honestly by your 
 pride of independence. I would no more live 
 on mamma Vi's money than you would." 
 
 " Oh, I'm so glad ! But then, how can you 
 do without your pay, papa? " 
 
 ' ' Because my heavenly Father has prospered 
 me, and given me money enough of my own (or, 
 rather, lent it to me ; for all we have belongs to 
 him, and is only lent to us for a time) to provide 
 all that is necessary for my family, and educate 
 my children. 
 
 " Now we have had a long talk, which has, I 
 trust, made my dear little girl much happier ; 
 and it is tune for you to go to your bed for the 
 night." 
 
 *' I don't like to have you leave me," she said, 
 clinging about his neck; "but you were very 
 kind to stay so long. Won't you. come soon in 
 the morning?" 
 
 " You are not a prisoner any longer," he said,
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 217 
 
 caressing her : ' ' you are free to leave this room, 
 and go where you choose about the house and 
 grounds to-morrow." 
 
 " But I don't want to. O papa ! I can't face 
 them ! Mayn't I stay in my room till you are 
 ready to take me to our own home? " 
 
 "You will have to face them sometime," he 
 said ; " but we will see what can be done about 
 it. Would you like to see Max and Gracie to 
 night?" 
 
 " Gracie, ever so much ; but Max I I don't 
 know how he feels toward me, papa." 
 
 "Very kindly. He has been asking permis 
 sion to come in to see you ; and Gracie has 
 pleaded quite hard for it, and to have you for 
 given, and told the good news." 
 
 " Gracie always is so dear and kind," she 
 said tremulously ; " and Maxie isn't often cross 
 with me. Yes, papa, I should like to see them 
 both." 
 
 " Your friend Evelyn was here this afternoon, 
 asking permission to come in to see you, but is 
 gone now. You may see her to-morrow, if you 
 want to. Ah ! I hear your brother and sister in 
 the hall." 
 
 He opened the door, and called to them. They 
 came bounding in, so full of delight over the 
 pleasant prospect opening before them, as hardly 
 to remember that Lulu ha*l often in such dreadtul 
 disgrace.
 
 218 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " O Lu ! has papa told you the good news?" 
 they cried. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " And aren't you glad? " 
 
 "Yes; glad as glad can be. But, oh, I wisl 
 the home was ready to go into to-night ! " ^ 
 
 Her father laughed. " I think you were born 
 in a hurry, Lulu," he said. "You are never 
 willing to wait a minute for any thing. 
 
 "Well, I suppose you children would prefer 
 to be left to yourselves for a while ; so I will 
 leave you. You may talk fifteen minutes to 
 gether, but no longer ; as it is your bedtime now, 
 Gracie's at least." 
 
 " O papa ! don't go ! " they all exclaimed in a 
 breath. " Please stay with us : we'd rather have 
 you, a great deal rather ! " 
 
 He could not resist their entreaties, so sat 
 down, and drew his two little girls into his arms, 
 while Max stationed himself close at his side. 
 
 " My dear children," he said, " you can hardly 
 be happier in the prospect before us than your 
 father is." 
 
 " Is mamma Vi glad? " asked Lulu. 
 
 " Yes ; quite as much rejoiced, I think, as any 
 of the rest of us." 
 
 " But doesn't she want me sent away to school 
 or somewhere?" with a wistful, anxious gaze 
 into his face. " Is she willing to have me in the 
 new home, papa?"
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 219 
 
 " Yes, daughter, more than willing : she wants 
 you to be under your father's constant care and 
 watchfulness, hoping that so he may succeed in 
 teaching you to control your temper." 
 
 " She's very good and forgiving," was Lulu's 
 comment in a low and not unmoved tone. 
 
 "Papa, when will you begin to look for the 
 new home?" asked Grace, affectionately strok 
 ing his cheek and whiskers with her small white 
 hand. 
 
 " I have been looking at advertisements," he 
 said; "and, now that baby is out of danger, I 
 shall begin the search in earnest." 
 
 " Can we afford a big house, and handsome 
 furniture, papa?" queried Lulu. 
 
 "And to keep carriage and riding horses?" 
 asked Max. 
 
 " I hope my children have not been so thor 
 oughly spoiled by living in the midst of wealth 
 and luxury, that they could not content them 
 selves with a moderately large house, and plain 
 furniture?" he said gravely. 
 
 " I'd rather live that way with you, than have 
 all the fine things, and you not with us, dear 
 papa," Lulu said, putting her arm round his 
 neck, and laying her cheek to his. 
 
 "I too." 
 
 " And I," said Max and Grace. 
 
 " And I," he responded, smiling affectionately 
 upon them, " would prefer such a home with my
 
 220 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 children about me, to earth's grandest palace 
 without them. Millions of money could not buy 
 one of my treasures ! " 
 
 ' ' Not me, papa ? ' ' whispered Lulu tremulously, 
 with her lips close to his ear. 
 
 " No, dear child, not even you," he answered, 
 pressing her closer to his side. "You are no less 
 dear than the others." 
 
 " I deserve to be," she said with tears in her 
 voice. " It would be just and right, papa, if 
 you did not love me half so well as any of your 
 other children." 
 
 She spoke aloud this time, as her father had. 
 
 "We all have our faults, Lu," remarked Max, 
 " but papa loves us in spite of them." 
 
 " ' God commendeth his love toward us, in 
 that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for 
 us,' " quoted the captain. "If God so loved 
 me, while yet his enemy, a rebel against his 
 rightful authority, I may well love my own chil 
 dren in spite of all their faults, even were those 
 faults more and greater by far than they are." 
 
 " Then, papa, I think we should love you well 
 enough to try very hard to get rid of them," re 
 turned Max. 
 
 " And the wonderful love of God for us should 
 constrain us to hate and forsake all sin," said 
 his father. " The Bible bids us to ' be followers 
 of God as dear children.' And oh, how we should 
 hate sin when we remember that it crucified our 
 Lord I "
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN 221 
 
 There was a momentary silence : then the chil- 
 dren began talking joyfully again of the new 
 home in prospect for them, and their hopes and 
 wishes in regard to it. 
 
 Their father entered heartily into their pleas 
 ure, and encouraged them to express themselves 
 freely, until the clock, striking nine, reminded 
 him that more than the allotted time for the in 
 terview had passed. Then he bade them say 
 good-night, and go to their beds, promising that 
 they should have other opportunities for saying 
 all they wished on the subject.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 " 'Tis easier for the generous to forgive 
 Thau for offence to ask it." 
 
 IN passing through the hall on his way from 
 Lulu's room to the nursery, Capt. Raymond met 
 " grandma Elsie." 
 
 She stopped him, and asked, in a tone of kind 
 ly concern, if Lulu was ill, adding, that some 
 thing she had accidentally overheard him saying 
 to the doctor had made her fear the child was not 
 well. 
 
 " Thank you, mother," he said : " you are very 
 kind to take any interest in Lulu after what has 
 occurred. No, she is not quite well : the mental 
 distress of the last two days has been very great, 
 and has exhausted her physically. It could not, 
 of course, be otherwise, unless she were quite 
 heartless. She is full of remorse for her pas 
 sion and its consequences, and my only conso 
 lation is the hope that this terrible lesson may 
 prove a lasting one to her." 
 
 " I hope so, indeed," Elsie said, with emotion. 
 " Yes, she must have suffered greatly ; for she is 
 a warm-hearted, affectionate child, and would 
 
 222
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 223 
 
 cot, I am sure, have intentionally done her baby 
 sister an injury." 
 
 " No, it was not intentional ; yet, as the re 
 sult of allowing herself to get into a passion, she 
 is responsible for it, as she feels and acknowl 
 edges. 
 
 " And so deeply ashamed is she, that she knows 
 not how to face the family, or any one of them, 
 and therefore entreats me to allow her to seclude 
 herself in her own room till I can take her to the 
 home I hope to make for my wife and children 
 ere long." 
 
 "Poor child!" sighed Elsie. "Tell her, 
 Levis, that she need not shrink from us as if 
 we were not sinners, as well as herself. Shall 
 I go in to-morrow morning, and have a talk with 
 her before breakfast? " 
 
 " It will be a great kindness," he said, flush 
 ing with pleasure, " and make it much easier for 
 her to show herself afterwards at the table. But 
 I ought to ask if you are willing to see her there 
 in her accustomed seat?" 
 
 "I shall be glad to do so," Elsie answered, 
 with earnest kindliness of look and tone. " She 
 was not banished by any edict of mine or papa's." 
 
 " No: I forbade her to leave her room while 
 the baby was in a critical condition. Yet I think 
 she had no disposition to leave it, shame and 
 remorse causing a desire to hide herself froio 
 everybody."
 
 224 ELSIE 1 S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " It strikes me as a hopeful sign," Elsie said; 
 *' and I do not despair of one day seeing Lulu a 
 noble woman, the joy and pride of her father's 
 heart." 
 
 She held out her hand as she spoke. 
 
 The captain grasped it warmly. " Thank you, 
 mother, for those kind and hopeful words," he 
 said with emotion. " For the last year or two, 
 she has been alternately my joy and my despair ; 
 and I am resolved to leave no effort untried to 
 rescue her from the dominion of her fierce temper. 
 
 " The task would doubtless have been far easi 
 er could I have undertaken it years ago, in her 
 early infancy. But I trust it is not yet too late 
 to accomplish it, with the help and the wisdom I 
 may have in answer to prayer." 
 
 " No, I am sure it is by no means a hopeless 
 undertaking, looking where you do for needed 
 strength and wisdom ; and I rejoice almost as 
 much for Lulu's sake as for Vi's, that you have 
 now come among us to stay. I will try to see 
 her in the morning, and do what I can to make 
 it easy for her to join the family circle again. 
 
 " And now good-night. I must not keep you 
 longer from the wife who grudges every moment 
 that you are absent from her side," she con 
 cluded, with a smile as sweet and beautiful as 
 that of her girlhood's days. 
 
 While the captain and his mother-in-law held 
 this little conversation in the upper hall, Zoe and
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 225 
 
 Bosle were promenading the veranda, arm in 
 arm. They had been talking of Violet and her 
 baby, rejoicing together over its improved con 
 dition. 
 
 ' ' How dreadful the last two days have been 
 to poor Vi!" exclaimed Rosie, "even in spite 
 of the home-coming of her husband, which has 
 always before this made her so happy. In fact, 
 it has been a dreadful time to all of us ; and no 
 body to blame except that bad-tempered Lulu. 
 
 "At least, so /think," she added, conscience 
 giving her a twinge ; " though mamma says I 
 ought to have let her have my pony, and taken 
 my own ride later in the day, if I wanted one." 
 
 " It would have been more polite and unselfish, 
 wouldn't it?" queried Zoe, in a teasing tone. 
 "I dare say it is what mamma herself would 
 have done under the same circumstances." 
 
 "I have no doubt of that," returned Rosie; 
 "but mamma and I are two very different peo 
 ple. I can never hope to be as good and unself 
 ish as she is, and always has been so far as I 
 can learn." 
 
 "Ah ! but there's nothing like trying," laughed 
 Zoe. 
 
 " Suppose you tell Lulu that, advising her to 
 undertake the task of controlling her temper." 
 
 " She was quite a good while without an out* 
 break," said Zoe ; " and really, Rosie, that dog 
 of yours is extremely trying at times."
 
 226 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " It's quite trying to me, that I've had to send 
 him away, and can't have him about any more 
 till Lulu's gone. I'll be sorry to have Vi leave 
 Ion, but rejoiced to be rid of Lulu. I wonder 
 if the captain still intends to send her away? 
 I sincerely hope so, for Vi's sake. Poor little 
 Elsie may be killed outright the next time Lulu 
 has an opportunity to vent her spite upon her." 
 
 " O Rosie ! how can you talk so? " exclaimed 
 Zoe: "haven't you heard that Lulu says she 
 thought it was your dog she was kicking at? and 
 that she has been really sick with distress about 
 the baby ? As to sending her away to be trained 
 and taught by strangers her father has no idea 
 of doing it : in fact, so Vi told Ned, the con 
 viction that Lulu needed his constant oversight 
 and control had a great deal to do in leading 
 him to resign from the service and come home 
 to live." 
 
 " Then, he's a very good father, a great deal 
 better one than she deserves. But I'm sorry for 
 Vi and her baby." 
 
 "You needn't be: surely the captain should 
 be able to protect them from Lulu," laughed Zoe. 
 
 Rosie laughed too, remarked that it must be 
 getting late } and they went into the house. 
 
 " I do wish papa would come for me. I can't 
 bear to go down alone to breakfast," Lulu was 
 saying to herself the next morning, when a light;
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 22? 
 
 Step in the hall without caught her ear: then 
 there was a tap at the door ; and, opening it, she 
 found the lady of the house standing on the 
 threshold. 
 
 " Good-morning, my child," she said in pleas 
 ant, cheery tones, and smiling sweetly as she 
 spoke ; then, bending down, she gave the little 
 girl a kiss. 
 
 " Good- morning, grandma Elsie," murmured 
 Lulu, blushing deeply, and casting down her 
 eyes: "you are very kind to come to see me, 
 ttid to kiss me too, when I have been so bad. 
 Please take a chair," she added, drawing one 
 forward. 
 
 " Thank yon, dear ; but I would rather sit on 
 the sofa yonder, with you by my side," Elsie 
 said, taking Lulu's hand, and leading her to it, 
 then, when they had seated themselves, putting 
 the other arm about the child's waist, and draw 
 ing her close to her side. "I feel that I have 
 been neglecting you," she went on; "but my 
 thoughts have been much taken up with other 
 things, and" 
 
 "O grandma Elsie!" cried Lulu, bursting 
 into tears. "I didn't deserve that you should 
 show me the least kindness, or think of me at 
 all except as a very bad, disagreeable girl. I 
 should think you'd want to turn me out of your 
 house, and say I should never come into it 
 again."
 
 228 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 *' No, dear child, I have no such feeling toward 
 you : if I had, should I not be very much like 
 that wicked servant to whom his lord had for 
 given a debt of ten thousand talents, yet who re 
 fused to have compassion on his fellow-servant 
 who owed him a hundred pence? I should, in 
 deed ; for my sins against God have been far 
 greater, and more heinous, than yours against 
 me or mine." 
 
 ' ' But you were always such a good child when 
 you were a little girl, and I am such a bad one." 
 
 " No, my dear ; that is quite a mistake ; I was 
 not always good as a child, and I am very far 
 from being perfect as a woman." 
 
 " You seem so to me, grandma Elsie : I never 
 know of your doing and saying any thing the 
 least bit wrong." 
 
 " But you, my child, see only the outward ap 
 pearance, while God looks at the heart ; and he 
 knows that, though I am truly his servant, try 
 ing earnestly to do his will, I fall lamentably 
 short of it." 
 
 " Grandma Elsie, I didn't know it was the 
 baby : I didn't mean to hurt her." 
 
 " No, my dear, I know you didn't." 
 
 "But papa said he must punish me all the 
 same, because it was being in a passion that 
 made me do it. Grandma Elsie, if you had such 
 a dreadful temper as mine, wouldn't you be dis 
 couraged about ever conquering it? "
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND SIN. 229 
 
 "No, my child, not while I could find such 
 words as these in the Bible : ' O Israel, thou 
 hast destroyed thyself : but in Me is thine help.' 
 ' Thou shalt call his name Jesus ; for he shall 
 save his people from their sins.' 'He is able 
 also to save them to the uttermost that come 
 unto God by him.' ' God is faithful, who will not 
 suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able ; 
 but will with the temptation also make a way to 
 escape, that ye may be able to bear it.' ' 
 
 " ' His people,' " repeated Lulu; then with a 
 sigh, " But I am not one of them, grandma 
 Elsie ; so those promises are not for me."' 
 
 " He invites you to become one of his people, 
 and then they will be for you. 
 
 "'Come unto me, all ye that labor and are 
 heavy laden,' Jesus says, ' and I will give you 
 rest.' 
 
 "You feel yourself heavy laden with that un 
 conquerable temper, do you not? " 
 
 " Yes, ma'am," 
 
 " Then, that invitation is for you ; and it will 
 not be unconquerable with the Lord to help 
 you. 
 
 ' ' ' The God of Israel is he that giveth strength 
 and power unto his people.' 'And they that 
 stumbled are girded with strength.' You cannot 
 doubt that you are included in the invitation, for 
 it is, ' Whosoever will, let him take the water of 
 life freely.' And the time to come is now:
 
 230 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 * Now is the accepted time ; behold, now is the 
 day of salvation.' ' 
 
 The breakfast-bell rang at that moment ; and 
 grandma Elsie, rising, took Lulu's hand, saying, 
 " Come, my dear, you need not shrink from join 
 ing us at the table : no one will be disposed to 
 treat you unkindly. ' ' 
 
 As she spoke, the door opened, and Capt. Ray 
 mond and Violet came in. They exchanged 
 morning greetings with their mother ; while Lulu, 
 with eyes cast down, and cheeks aflame, half 
 shrank behind her, ashamed and afraid to meet 
 Violet's gaze. 
 
 But Violet bent down and kissed her affec 
 tionately, saying in a kindly tone, " I hope you 
 are feeling better than you did yesterday? " 
 
 "0 mamma Vi!" Lulu cried, throwing her 
 arm round her young step-mother's neck, and 
 bursting into tears, " is baby still getting better? 
 and will you forgive me? I am, oh, so sorry ! " 
 
 " Yes, dear, baby is improving fast ; and it is 
 all forgiven, so far as I am concerned," was the 
 gentle reply. 
 
 Then the captain kissed his little girl good* 
 morning, and they all went down to the break 
 fast-room together. 
 
 The worst was over to Lulu in having seen 
 Violet, yet it was quite an ordeal to her to face 
 the rest of the large family ; but each one spoke 
 pleasantly to her. Eosie alone bestowed so
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 231 
 
 jnuch as an unkind look upon her, and that was 
 wasted ; for Lulu, expecting it from that quarter 
 more than any other, constantly averted her gaze 
 from Rosie, keeping her eyes down, or turned 
 in another direction. 
 
 Dr. Conly had joined them as they sat down, 
 and presently he addressed the captain : 
 
 "I hear, Raymond, that you would like to 
 buy in this neighborhood." 
 
 " Yes, if I can find a suitable place, one that 
 will satisfy my wife as well as myself," the cap 
 tain answered with a smiling glance at Violet. 
 
 " Well, Vi, how would Woodburn answer, so 
 far as you are concerned? " queried Arthur. 
 
 "Woodburn! is it for sale?" she cried de 
 lightedly. ' ' O Levis ! ' ' turning to her husband, 
 "it is a lovely old place ! A visit there was 
 always a great treat to me as a child." 
 
 " And it is really for sale? " exclaimed several 
 voices in chorus, all eyes turning inquiringly 
 upon Dr. Conly. 
 
 " Yes, so Miss Elliott told me yesterday," re 
 plied Arthur. " She was slightly indisposed, and 
 sent for me, and, while telling of her ailments v 
 remarked that she was very lonely since her sis 
 ter Margaret had married and gone, leaving her 
 sole occupant not taking servants into ac 
 count of that large house, with its extensive 
 grounds. So she had at last decided, she said, 
 to comply with her sister's urgent request to
 
 232 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 sell the place, and take up her abode with 
 them. 
 
 "She had thought of advertising, and asked 
 my advice about it. Of course, I thought at once 
 of you and Vi, captain, told her I knew of a 
 gentleman who might like to become a purchaser, 
 and that I would promise her a call from him to- 
 da}- to look at the place. Will you redeem my 
 promise ? ' ' 
 
 "Gladly," responded the captain, "especially 
 as Vi expresses so strong a liking for the place. 
 Will you go with me, my dear? " 
 
 " I hardly like to leave my baby yet," she an 
 swered dubiously. " But if you should feel en 
 tirely satisfied with the house, the grounds, and 
 the price asked for them, you could not please 
 me better than by making the purchase." 
 
 " There ! if Miss Elliott only knew it, she 
 might consider the estate as good as sold," re 
 marked Zoe. 
 
 * If she is willing to take a reasonable price, I 
 presume she might," said Arthur. " Captain, I 
 will go there directly from here : will you drive 
 over with me, and take a look at the place? " 
 
 "Yes, thank you; and have a talk with the 
 lady, if you will give me an introduction." 
 
 Max and Lulu, sitting side by side at the table, 
 exchanged glances, Lulu's full of delight, Max's 
 only interested. He shook his head in response 
 to her's.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 233 
 
 " What do you mean? wouldn't you like it? " 
 she asked in an undertone. 
 
 "Yes, indeed! but I'm pretty sure papa 
 couldn't afford such a place as that : it must be 
 worth a good many thousands." 
 
 Lulu's look lost much of its brightness ; still, 
 she did not quite give up hope, as the conversa 
 tion went on among their elders, Woodburn and 
 the Elliotts continuing to be the theme. 
 
 " Will it be near enough to Ion? " Capt, Ray 
 mond asked, addressing Violet more particularly. 
 " What is the distance? " 
 
 "Something over a mile, they call it," said 
 Mr. Dmsmore. 
 
 " That is as near as we can expect to be, I 
 suppose," said Violet. 
 
 " And with carriages and horses, bicycles, 
 tricycles, and telephones, we may feel ourselves 
 very near neighbors indeed," remarked Edward. 
 ' ' When the weather is too inclement for mamma 
 or Vi to venture out, they can talk together by 
 the hour through the telephone, if they wish." 
 
 "And it won't often be too inclement to go 
 back and forth," said Ze; "almost always 
 good enough for a close carriage, if for nothing 
 else." 
 
 " We are talking as if the place were already 
 secured," remarked Violet, with a smiling glance 
 at her husband. 
 
 " I think you may feel pretty sure of it if you
 
 234 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 want it, love ; unless Miss Elliott should change 
 her mind about selling," he responded, in a tont 
 too low to reach any ear but hers. 
 
 She gave him a bright, glad look, that quit* 
 settled the matter so far as he was concerned ; 
 he would, if necessary, give even an exorbitant 
 price for the place, to please her. 
 
 " Have you never seen Woodburn, captain?" 
 asked Mrs. Dinsmore. 
 
 " I have some recollection of driving past it," 
 he replied meditatively ; ' ' but is not the house 
 nearly concealed from view from the road, by a 
 thick growth of trees and shrubbery ? ' ' 
 
 " Yes : you will thin them out a little, I hope, 
 for the mansion is well worth looking at ; it is a 
 very aristocratic-looking dwelling, large, sub 
 stantial, and handsome architecturally." 
 
 "Papa, are you going to buy it?" asked 
 Grace. 
 
 "It is too soon to answer that question, 
 daughter," he said pleasantly; and Max and 
 Lulu again exchanged glances, which said this 
 tune, " Maybe he will, after all." 
 
 Both ardently wished their father would pro 
 pose taking them along ; he did not : but when 
 Dr. Conly said, with a kindly glance at Grace, 
 14 There will be room in my carriage for a little 
 friend of mine, if papa is willing to let her go 
 with us," he at once said, 
 
 " Certainly, Grade may go, if she will be
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 235 
 
 
 
 ready in season, and not keep the doctor 
 waiting." 
 
 " Indeed I will, papa," she cried delightedly, 
 and ran away to don hat and coat ; for the 
 meal was concluded, and everybody leaving the 
 table. 
 
 Lulu followed her father, till, in the hall, she 
 found an opportunity to speak to him without 
 being overheard. 
 
 "Papa," she asked, " what am I to do with 
 myself to-day ? ' ' 
 
 " Stay in your room, and learn your lessons, 
 beginning just where you left off the other day. 
 You will recite to me after I come back ; then 
 we will consider what you shall do for the rest 
 of the day." 
 
 "Yes, sir: may I see Evelyn when she 
 comes ? ' ' 
 
 " If she chooses to go to you in your room." 
 
 " Must I stay in my room all the time? " she 
 asked dejectedly. 
 
 " While I am away. I will take you out after 
 I return." Then, noticing her downcast look, 
 "You shall have more liberty when we get into 
 our own home," he said kindly. 
 
 At that she looked up with a bright, glad 
 smile. " Papa, it will be so nice I " 
 
 Max had drawn near. 
 
 "Papa," he said, " won't you let Lu take a 
 walk with me? Mayn't we run over to Fairview,
 
 286 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 and bring Evelyn back with us ? I know she'd 
 be glad to have company coming over to school." 
 
 " Yes, you may go, both of you, if you like. 
 But, Lulu, when you get home, go at once to 
 your room : don't stop in the grounds or on the 
 veranda." 
 
 " I won't, papa," she said: "I'll go straight 
 to my room, and, oh, thank you for letting me 
 go!"
 
 CHAPTER XVH. 
 
 " Home, sweet home! " 
 
 "How large is the estate, doctor?" asked 
 Capt. Raymond, as they were on their way to 
 Woodburn. 
 
 " I cannot say exactly," replied Arthur. 
 "There is a bit of woodland comprising several 
 acres ; and lawn, gardens, and shrubbery cover 
 several more. I believe that is all." 
 
 "About as much as I care for," returned the 
 captain. 
 
 " The estate was formerly very large," Arthur 
 went on, " some thousands of acres, and the 
 family was a very wealthy one ; but, like many 
 others, they lost heavily by the war, and were 
 compelled to part with one portion of the estate 
 after another, till little more than the homestead 
 was left ; and now it seems that it, too, must 
 
 go-" 
 
 " Are they so reduced? " the captain asked in 
 a tone of deep sympathy. 
 
 "I think Miss Elliott does not feel compelled 
 to part with it, and would still live on there, if it 
 
 237
 
 238 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 were not for the loneliness of the situation, and 
 a natural desire to be with her sister, the only 
 remaining member of their once large family, 
 besides herself." 
 
 "Yes, yes: I see. I understand, and shall 
 feel much more comfortable in buying it, than if 
 I knew that poverty compelled her to part with 
 it against her will." 
 
 " That shows your kindness of heart," Arthur 
 said, turning toward his friend with an apprecia 
 tive smile. 
 
 The next moment they had entered the Wood- 
 burn grounds, and Capt. Raymond and Grace 
 were glancing from side to side in a very inter 
 ested manner. 
 
 " The place is a good deal run down," remarked 
 Arthur. " They have not had the means to keep 
 it up, I suppose ; but if it comes into your hands, 
 captain, you can soon set matters right in regard 
 to that ; and I, for one, shall greatly enjoy seeing 
 the improvement." 
 
 "And I making it," was the cheery rejoinder ; 
 "more, I think, than taking possession of a 
 place that was too perfect to be improved." 
 
 "Papa, I'd just love to have this for our 
 home!" cried Gracie, flushing with pleasure as 
 she glanced here and there, and then up into his 
 face with an eager, questioning look, " Won't 
 you buy it, papa?" coaxingly. 
 
 44 It is still too soon for that question, my
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 239 
 
 child," he said, smiling down at her. "But I 
 hope to be able to answer it before very long." 
 
 They had reached the house, and were pres< 
 ently ushered into the presence of its owner. 
 She was desirous to sell, the captain to buy, 
 willing also to give not only a fair, but a liberal, 
 price ; so it took but a short time for them to 
 come to an agreement. 
 
 lie bought the land, house, furniture, every 
 thing just as it stood ; was promised possession 
 in two weeks, and accorded the privilege of at 
 once beginning any repairs or alterations he 
 might deem desirable. 
 
 Before making the agreement, he had in 
 spected the whole house. He found it large, 
 conveniently arranged, and in very tolerable 
 repair. 
 
 The furniture had evident!}' been very hand 
 some in its day, and would do quite well, he 
 thought, to begin with : much of it might, with 
 re-upholstering and varnishing, please Violet as 
 well as any that could be bought elsewhere. He 
 was eager to bring her to look at it, the house 
 and the grounds. 
 
 These last delighted both himself and Grace, 
 although lawn and gardens were far from being 
 as trim and neat as those of Ion and Fairview : 
 there was an air of neglect about the whole 
 place, but that could soon be remedied. 
 
 The bit of woodland was beautiful ; and through
 
 240 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 it, acd across lawn and gardens, ran a little 
 stream of clear, sparkling water, a pretty fea 
 ture in the landscape, without being deep enough 
 to be dangerous to the little ones. 
 
 Grace went everywhere with her father, up 
 stairs and down, indoors and out, quietly look 
 ing and listening, but seldom speaking, unless 
 addressed. 
 
 Once or twice she said, in a low aside, " Papa, 
 I'd like to live here, if you can 'ford to buy it. 
 
 "Papa, this is such a pretty room, and the 
 view from that window is so nice ! " 
 
 He would reply only by a kind smile, or a word 
 or two of assent. She did not understand all 
 the talk in the library after they had finished 
 their round, and when they left was still in some 
 doubt as to her father's intentions. 
 
 " Papa," she asked eagerly, as soon as they 
 were fairly on their homeward way, " have you 
 bought it?" 
 
 "We have come to an agreement," he an 
 swered. 
 
 "Then, is it ours?" 
 
 " It will be, as soon as I have got the deed, 
 and handed over the money." 
 
 " Oh, I'm so glad !" she cried, clapping her 
 hands with delight. "And we're to be 'lowed to 
 go there to stay in two weeks, aren' t we ? 1 
 thought that was what Miss Elliott said." 
 
 ' < Yes : can you get all your possessions packed 
 op by that time ? "
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 241 
 
 ** Yes, indeed, papa : one day would be enough 
 time for that." 
 
 "And if you should happen to forget one of 
 the dollies, you could go back for her," remarked 
 the doctor. 
 
 "Or replace it with a new one," said the cap 
 tain. 
 
 " But I love all my dollies, papa," she re 
 turned, with a wistful look up into his face : 
 " they're my children, you know. Would you 
 be satisfied with another new little girl 'stead 
 of me?" 
 
 "No, indeed!" he replied, bending down to 
 kiss her cheek. " If I had another new little girl 
 given me, I should want to hold fast to my little 
 Gracie too ; and you shall keep all your dollies 
 as long as you please." 
 
 Lulu and Max started on their walk to Fair- 
 view about the same time that Dr. Conly drove 
 away with their father and Grace. 
 
 Their talk was principally of the new home hi 
 prospect. Lulu had only driven past Woodburn 
 several times ; but Max had been taken there 
 once by Dr. Conly, with whom he was almost as 
 great a favorite as his sister Grace, and had seen 
 not only the grounds, but one or two rooms of 
 the mansion. 
 
 Lulu was eager to hear all he had to tell about 
 the place, and he not at all averse to describing 
 what he had seen.
 
 242 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 So interested were they in the topic, that they 
 reached the entrance to the Fairview grounds 
 almost ere they were aware of it. 
 
 "Oh, we're here!" exclaimed Lulu, in some 
 surprise. " Max, I'll stay outside, while you go 
 up to the house, for I I can't bear to see 
 aunt Elsie and the others." 
 
 Her eyes were downcast, her cheeks burning 
 with blushes as she spoke. 
 
 " But you may as well get it over," said Max : 
 "you'll have to see them all sometime." 
 
 " You don't care a bit, do you? " she said, in 
 a hurt tone. 
 
 " Yes, I do ; I'm right sorry for you ; but I 
 can't help your having to meet them sooner or 
 later." 
 
 "But I'm afraid I won't be welcome to aunt 
 Elsie. What if she should tell me to go out of 
 the house, she didn't want such a bad girl 
 there?" 
 
 " She isn't that kind of person," said Max. 
 "But here comes Eva," as the little girl came 
 tripping down the avenue to meet them. 
 
 She shook hands with Max, then threw her 
 arms round Lulu, and kissed her. 
 
 " O Eva ! I'm 'most ashamed to look at you," 
 murmured Lulu, half averting her blushing face. 
 " I shouldn't think you'd want me for your friend 
 any more." 
 
 " I do, though : I love you dearly, and should
 
 ELJSE'S KITH AND KIN. 243 
 
 have gone to your room yesterday if your 
 papa ad not refused to allow it,'* responded 
 Evelyn, repeating her caress. "Come in and 
 rest, both of you : aunt Elsie told me to ask 
 you." 
 
 " I'm not sure that papa meant to give me 
 permission co go into the house," said Lulu, 
 hanging back. 
 
 " No, come to think of it, I don't believe 
 he did," said Max. " Besides, it must be pretty 
 near school-time ; so if you are ready, Eva, and 
 want to walk, we'll start back directly, and be 
 glad to take you with us." 
 
 "Yes, I prefer to walk," she said: "I'll be 
 ready in five minutes, and glad to have your 
 company." 
 
 Mrs. Leland was on the veranda. 
 
 " Won't they come in? " she asked of Evelyn, 
 as the child came hurrying up the steps. 
 
 " No, auntie : Lu is not quite certain that her 
 papa gave her permission." 
 
 "Then, I'll go to them." 
 
 Lulu's eyes were on the ground, her cheeks 
 hot with blushes, as Mrs. Leland drew near the 
 rustic bench on which she and Max had seated 
 themselves. 
 
 "Good-morning, my dears: I am sorry you 
 cannot come in and sit a while," was her pleas 
 ant greeting. Then she shook hands with Max, 
 and kissed Lulu.
 
 244 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "I heard you were not well yesterday, Lulut 
 I hope you feel quite so this morning? " 
 
 "Yes, ma'am, thank you." 
 
 " I heard from Ion before breakfast, and am 
 delighted that baby is still improving, as, no 
 doubt, you are, both of you." 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! " exclaimed Max. 
 
 " And I am gladder than words can tell," said 
 Lulu, a tear rolling quickly down her cheek. 
 " Aunt Elsie, I do love her ! I think she is the 
 nicest, sweetest baby I ever saw." 
 
 "Yes, my dear; and I have no doubt you 
 intend to be the best of sisters to her." 
 
 " Oh, I do ! I can't ever make up to her for 
 for hurting her so, though I did not mean to 
 do it." 
 
 "Of course not: you couldn't be so cruel 
 toward any baby, but especially your own sweet 
 little sister," was the gentle, sweet-toned reply. 
 " I am rejoiced, especially for you, my dears, 
 and for your mamma, that your father is going 
 to settle down here ; for I know it will add greatly 
 to your happiness, he is such a good husband 
 and father, and you will so enjoy having a home 
 of your own." 
 
 " Yes, aunt Elsie : we think it is the best thing 
 that could have happened to us," replied Max. 
 
 Evelyn joined them at that moment ; so they 
 said good-by, and started on their way back to 
 Ion.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 344 
 
 "Eva," said Max, "have you heard atx*it 
 Woodburn?" 
 
 "No; what about it?" 
 
 "It's for sale, and perhaps papa will buy 
 it." 
 
 "Oh, how nice that would be!" she ex 
 claimed. " I've been there with aunt Elsie, and 
 it's just a lovely place ! It has a rather neg 
 lected look now ; but it wouldn't take long to 
 remedy that, and then it would be quite as hand 
 some as Ion or Fairview, or any other place 
 about here. Aren't you happy, Lu? " 
 
 "I shall be if papa gets it ; but the best thing 
 of all is, that he is to be with us all the time." 
 
 " Yes, of course," sighed Evelyn, thinking of 
 the happy days when she had her father with 
 her. " Lu," she said presently, " I know you 
 are not to be sent away ; but where are you to 
 go to school?" 
 
 "To papa," replied Lulu, with a glad look 
 and smile. 
 
 Evelyn sighed again. " The only part I re 
 gret," she remarked, "is that we have to give 
 up being together in our studies, you and I. 
 Unless," she added the next moment, as if 
 struck by a sudden thought, " your father would 
 take me as a pupil too. But I wouldn't dare to 
 ask it." 
 
 "I would," said Max: "I dare ask papa 
 almost any thing, unless it was leave to do
 
 246 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 something wrong, and I'll undertake to sounli 
 him on the subject." 
 
 "I'm not afraid to ask him, either," said 
 Lulu ; " and he's so kind, I do believe he'll say 
 yes, or at least that he'll do it if everybody else 
 is agreed. Have you seen him, Eva? " 
 
 " Yes ; and he had such a kind, fatherly man 
 ner toward me, that I fell in love with him at 
 once. I believe I'd be glad to have him adopt 
 me if he was badly in want of another daughter 
 about my age," she added, with a merry look 
 and smile. 
 
 " I believe he'd be the gainer if he could swap 
 me off for you," said Lulu, catching her friend's 
 tone ; " but I'm very happy in feeling quite sure 
 he would rather have me, bad as I am, just be 
 cause I am his own." 
 
 " That makes all the difference in the world," 
 said Evelyn ; " and perhaps, on becoming ac 
 quainted with my faults, he might think them 
 worse than yours." 
 
 It was not quite school-time when they reached 
 Ion, and Evelyn proposed that they should spend 
 the few intervening minutes in the grounds. 
 
 " I'd like to, ever so much," said Lulu ; " but 
 papa bade me go directly to my own room on 
 getting home. So good-by," and she moved 
 on resolutely in the direction of the house. 
 
 "Good-by. I'll see you again when school is 
 out, if I can," Evelyn called after her.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 247 
 
 Lulu's thoughts were so full of other things, 
 that she found great difficulty in fixing them 
 upon her lessons. But saying to herself that it 
 would be much too bad to fail \in her first reci 
 tations to her father, she exerted her strong will 
 to the utmost, and succeeded. She was quite 
 ready for him when, at length, he came in. 
 
 But looking up eagerly from her book, " Pa 
 pa," she asked, " have you, oh ! have you, bought 
 it?" 
 
 "Bought what?" he asked smilingly, as he 
 eat down and drew her to his side. 
 
 "Opapa! you know! Woodburn, I mean." 
 
 " I think I have secured it," he said, " and 
 that it will make a very delightful home for 
 us all." 
 
 "Oh, I am so glad ! " she cried, throwing her 
 arms round his neck, and giving him a vigorous 
 hug. " When can we move in, papa? " 
 
 " In about two weeks, probably : can you stand 
 having to wait for that length of time? " 
 
 "I s'pose I'll have to," she said, laughing a 
 little ruefully. " It'll help very much that I'll 
 have you here, and see you every day. Are you 
 going to keep me shut up in this room all the 
 time?" 
 
 "No : did I not tell you, you were no longer a 
 prisoner? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, sir ! but I I don't care very much 
 to to be with Rosie and the rest."
 
 248 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN, 
 
 " I prefer that you should not be, except when 
 I am present," he returned gravely. " I want to 
 keep you with me as much as possible ; and would 
 rather have you alone, or with Evelyn, Max, and 
 Gracie only, when I am not with you." 
 
 "I like that best, too, papa," she replied hum 
 bly ; " for I can't trust myself not to get into a 
 passion with Rosie and her dog, and I suppose 
 you can't trust me either." 
 
 " Not yet, daughter," he said gently ; " but I 
 hope the time will come when I can. Now we 
 will attend to the lessons." 
 
 When the recitations were finished, "Papa," 
 she said, with an affectionate, admiring look up 
 into his face, " I think you are a very nice 
 teacher : you make every thing so clear and plain, 
 and so interesting. I'm so glad you'rt the gen 
 tleman who is to have charge of me," she added 
 with a happy laugh. 
 
 "So am I," he said, caressing her. "I am 
 rery glad, very thankful, to be able to take 
 charge of all my own children ; and whatever I 
 may lack in experience and ability as a teacher, 
 I hope to make up in the deep interest I shall 
 always feel in the welfare and progress of my 
 pupils." 
 
 She then told him of Evelyn's wish, concluding 
 with, "Won't you, dear papa? I'd like it so 
 much, and Eva is such a good girl you wouldn't 
 have a bit of trouble managing her. She's just 
 *s different from me as possible."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 249 
 
 " Quite a recommendation ; and it I were as 
 sure of proving a competent teacher, I should not 
 hesitate to grant your request. But it is a new 
 business to me, and perhaps it would not be wise 
 for me to undertake the tuition of more than my 
 own three at present. However," he added, see 
 ing her look of disappointment, " I will take the 
 matter into consideration." 
 
 " Oh, thank you, sir ! Papa, I've just thought 
 of two things I want to talk to you about." 
 
 " Very well ; let me hear them." 
 
 " The first is about my being so naughty at 
 Viamede," she went on, hanging her head, and 
 blushing deeply; "in such a passion at Signor 
 Foresti, and so obstinate and disobedient to 
 grandpa Dinsmore." 
 
 " I was very sorry to hear of it all," he said 
 gravely : " but what about it? " 
 
 "Don't you have to punish me for it?" she 
 asked, half under her breath. 
 
 u No: the punishment I gave you the other 
 night settled all accounts up to that date." 
 
 She breathed more freely. 
 
 " Papa, would you have made me go back to 
 that horrid man after he struck me? " 
 
 "It is not worth while to consider that ques 
 tion at this late day. Now, what else?" he 
 asked. 
 
 " Papa, I spoiled one of those valuable books 
 of engravings belonging to grandpa Dinsmore t
 
 250 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 no, I didn't exactly spoil it myself, but I took it 
 out on the veranda without leave, and carelessly 
 left it where Rosie's dog could get at it ; and he 
 scratched and gnawed and tore it, till it is 
 almost ruined." 
 
 " I shall replace it at once," he said. " I am 
 sorry you were so careless, and particularly that 
 you took the book out there without permission ; 
 but that was not half so bad as flying into a pas 
 sion, even if you hurt nothing or no one but 
 yourself." 
 
 " But I did get into a passion, papa, at the 
 dog and at Rosie," she acknowledged, in a 
 frightened tone, and blushing more deeply than 
 before. 
 
 " I am deeply grieved to hear it," he said. 
 
 " And won't you have to punish me for that, 
 and for getting the book spoiled? " 
 
 " No : didn't I tell you just now that all ac 
 counts were settled up to the other night? " 
 
 "Papa, you're very, very kind," she said, 
 putting her arm round his neck, and laying her 
 head on his shoulder. 
 
 " I am very glad, that, with all her faults, my 
 dear little daughter is so truthful and so open 
 with me," he said, smoothing her hair. 
 
 " Papa, I'm ever so sorry you'll have to pay 
 so much money to replace that book," she said. 
 "But you often give me some pocket-money, 
 and won't you please keep all you would give
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 251 
 
 me till it counts up enough to pay for the 
 book?" 
 
 "It is a right feeling, a feeling that pleases 
 me, which prompts you to make that request," 
 he said in a kind tone, and pressing his lips to 
 her cheek; "and probabty another time I may 
 let you pay for such a piece of carelessness, but 
 you need not in this instance. I feel rich enough 
 to spare the money quite easily for that and an 
 increase in my children's weekly allowance. 
 What is yours now?" 
 
 " Fifty cents, papa." 
 
 " Where is your purse? " 
 
 She took it from her pocket, and put it into 
 his hand. 
 
 ''Only five cents in it," he remarked, with a 
 smile, when he had examined. 
 
 Then, taking a handful of loose change from 
 his pocket, he counted out four bright quarters 
 and ten dimes, and poured them into her 
 purse. 
 
 "O papa! so much!" she cried delightedly. 
 " I feel ever so rich ! " 
 
 He laughed at that. "Now," he said, "you 
 shall have a dollar every week, unless I should 
 have to withdraw it on account of some sort of 
 bad behavior on your part. Max is to have the 
 same ; Gracie half a dollar till she is a little 
 older: and you are all to keep an account of 
 your spendings. "
 
 152 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 He took from another pocket, three little 
 blank-books. 
 
 "One of these is for you: the others are for 
 your brother and sister," he said. "See, there 
 is a blank space for every day in the week ; and, 
 Whenever you lay out any money, you must write 
 down in the proper place what it was that you 
 bought, and how much it cost." 
 
 " And show it to you, papa? " 
 
 " Once in a while : probably, whenever I hand 
 you your allowance, I shall look over your ac 
 count for the week that is just past, and tell you 
 what I think of the way you have laid out your 
 money, in order to help you to learn to spend it 
 judiciously."
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 " Fortune is merry, 
 And In this mood will give us any thing.** 
 
 THERE was a sound of small, hurrying feet in 
 the hall without, a tap at the door ; and Max's 
 voice asked, " May we come in? " 
 
 "Yes," said his father; and instantly the 
 4oor was thrown wide. Evelyn came in with a 
 quiet, lady-like step, and Max and Grace more 
 boisterously. 
 
 The captain rose, shook hands with Eva, set 
 her a chair, and sat down again, drawing Gracie 
 to his arms, while Max stood at his side. 
 
 "Oh! what are those for?" he asked, catch' 
 ing sight of the blank-books. 
 
 " This is for you, this for Grace," the captain 
 answered, bestowing them as he spoke, then 
 went on to repeat substantially what he had just 
 been saying to Lulu, and to replenish their purses 
 AS he had hers. 
 
 They were both delighted, both grateful. 
 
 Evelyn looked on, well pleased. " Now your 
 allowance is just the same as mine, and I am so 
 glad," she said to Lulu. " I have never kept an 
 
 253
 
 254 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 account ; but I think it must be a good plan, and 
 I mean to after this." 
 
 "There is another thing, children," said the 
 captain : " any money that we have, is only lent 
 to us by our heavenly Father ; and it is our duty 
 to set aside a certain portion for giving to his 
 cause." 
 
 " How much, papa? " asked Max. 
 
 " People have different ideas about that," was 
 the reply. "In Old-Testament times, the rule 
 was one-tenth of all ; and I think most people 
 should not give less now : many are able to give 
 a great deal more. I hope each of you will be 
 glad to give as much as that." 
 
 He opened Lulu's Bible, lying on the table, 
 and read aloud, " ' He who soweth sparingly, shall 
 reap also sparingly ; and he who soweth bounti 
 fully, shall reap also bountifully. Every man 
 according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him 
 give ; not grudgingly, or of necessity ; for God 
 loveth a cheerful giver.' " 
 
 " I'll give a tenth of all," said Lulu. "I mean 
 to buy a little purse on purpose to keep my tenth 
 in, and I'll put two of these dimes in it. That 
 will be the tenth of the two dollars you're given 
 me, won't it, papa?" 
 
 "Yes," he said. 
 
 44 And I'll do the same," said Max. 
 
 " I too," added Grade. 
 
 " It is just what my papa taught me to do/' 
 iremarked Evelyn modestly.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 265 
 
 '* Would you children all like to take a drive 
 With me this afternoon ? " asked the captain. 
 
 There was a simultaneous and joyful assent 
 from his own three : then Evelyn said, " Thank 
 you, sir. I should like it extremely, if I can get 
 permission. Aunt Elsie expects me home to 
 dinner ; but I will go now to the telephone, and 
 ask if I may stay and accept your invitation." 
 
 "And while you are doing that, I will go to my 
 wife, and try to persuade her to join our party," 
 the captain said, leaving the room. 
 
 Evelyn had no difficulty in gaining permission 
 to stay at Ion for the rest of the day, or go any 
 where Capt. Raymond might propose to take her ; 
 and he found but little difficulty in persuading 
 Violet to accompany him in a drive that would 
 take her from her baby for an hour or two, the 
 little one being so much better that she did not 
 fear to leave it in charge of her mother and the 
 nurse, thinking it might die before her return. 
 
 " The carriage will be at the door in ten or fif 
 teen minutes after we leave the dinner-table," 
 the captain told them all ; and each one promised 
 to be ready to start at once. 
 
 The children all came down the stairs and out 
 upon the veranda together, and only a little in 
 advance of the captain and Violet. 
 
 There was a simultaneous exclamation of sur 
 prise as they saw, not the Ion family carriage, 
 but a new and very handsome one, with a pair of
 
 256 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 fine match-horses, which none of them had erei 
 seen before, drawn up at the foot of the veranda- 
 steps, while, a few feet beyond, a servant held the 
 bridle of a beautiful, spirited pony, whose long 
 mane, gracefully arched neck, and glossy coat, 
 struck them all with admiration. 
 
 The carriage-horses were no less handsome or 
 spirited : they were tossing their manes, and paw 
 ing the ground, with impatience to be off. 
 
 Violet turned a bright, inquiring look upon her 
 husband, while all three of his children were ask 
 ing in eager, excited tones, " Papa, papa, whose 
 carriage and horses are these?" 
 
 " Ours," he said, handing Violet to a seat in 
 the vehicle ; then, as he helped Evelyn in, " Max, 
 my son, if you will ride that pony, there will be 
 more room here for the rest of us." 
 
 " O papa ! may I? " cried the boy in tones of 
 delight. "Did you hire it for me?" 
 
 " No : I only bought it for you. Mount, and 
 let me see how well you can manage him how 
 well you have unproved your opportunities for 
 learning to ride." 
 
 Max needed no second invitation, but had 
 vaulted into the saddle before his father was done 
 speaking. 
 
 "Now put him through his paces," was the 
 next order. 
 
 Max wheeled about, dashed down the avenue 
 at a rapid gallop, turned, and came back at au
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 257 
 
 easy canter ; his father and sisters, Violet also, 
 watching him in proud delight, he was so hand 
 some, and sat his pony so well. 
 
 " Ah ! that will do," his father said when the 
 lad was within easy hearing-distance: "these 
 fellows," glancing at the horses attached to the 
 carriage, " are getting too restless to stand any 
 longer; so you may finish your exhibition at 
 another time. I have seen enough to feel that 
 you are quite equal to the management of your 
 pony." 
 
 "0 papa! he's just splendid!" Max burst 
 out, bending down to pat and stroke the neck of 
 his steed ; ' ' and I can never thank you enough 
 for such a gift." 
 
 " Enjoy him, and use him kindly : that is all I 
 ask," the captain said, entering the carriage, 
 where he had already placed his two little girls. 
 " Drive on, Scipio. Max, you may ride alongside." 
 
 "I 'spect I know where we're going," re 
 marked Grace gleefully, and with an arch smile 
 up into her father's face, as she noticed the di 
 rection they were taking on turning out of the 
 avenue into the high-road. 
 
 '"Do you?" he said. . "Well, wait a little, 
 and you will find out how good a guess you have 
 made." 
 
 ' ' To "Woodburn, papa ? ' ' queried Lulu eagerly. 
 
 " Have patience, and you will see presently," 
 he answered with a smile.
 
 258 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 * Mamma Vi, do you know? " she asked. 
 
 " It is your father's secret," said Violet. " I 
 should not presume to tell you when he declines 
 doing so." 
 
 " We shall know in a very few minutes, Lu," 
 said Evelyn : " it is only a short drive to Wood- 
 burn." 
 
 " I was thinking about that name," said Grace. 
 " Papa, why do they call it Woodburn ? There 's 
 woods, do they burn them sometimes ? They 
 don't look as if they'd ever been burned." 
 
 "I don't think they have," he said, "except 
 such parts of them as dry twigs and fallen 
 branches, that could be picked up from the 
 ground, or now and then a tree that it was thought 
 best to cut down, or that fell of itself. But you 
 know, there is a pretty little brook running 
 across the estate, and in Scotland such a stream 
 is called a burn ; so, having a wood and a burn, 
 Woodburn is a very appropriate name." 
 
 "Yes, papa, I think it is, and a pretty name 
 too. Thank you for explaining it, and not laugh 
 ing at my mistake." 
 
 " Even papa doesn't know nearly every thing, 
 little daughter," he said, stroking and patting 
 the small hand she had laid on his knee, "so it 
 would be quite out of place for him to laugh at 
 you for asking a sensible question. We should 
 never be ashamed to ask for information that we 
 need. It is much wiser than to remain in igno 
 rance for fear of being laughed at."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 251 
 
 " And her father always gives information so 
 feindly and patiently," remarked Violet. 
 
 " And I think he knows 'most every thing," 
 said Grace. "Oh, I did guess right! for here 
 ve are at Woodburn." 
 
 They drove and walked about the grounds, ad- 
 oairing, criticising, planning improvements ; then 
 called on Miss Elliott, and, with her readily ac 
 corded permission, went over the house. 
 
 Violet and the captain selected a suite of 
 ?ooms for their own occupation, and he decided 
 vhich the children should use. 
 
 4 bedroom opening from their own was se 
 lected for Grace, the adjoining room beyond for 
 Lulu ; and another, into which both these latter 
 opened, tbb? were told should be their own little 
 sitting-room. 
 
 Besides these, a tiny apartment in a tower, 
 communicating with Lulu's bedroom, was given 
 to her. The sitting-room opened into the hall 
 ,lso, so that it was nc-fc necessary to pass through 
 one bedroom to reach the other. 
 
 They were all bright, cheerful rooms, with a 
 pleasant outlook from every window : in the sit 
 ting-room there were French windows opening 
 upon a balcony. 
 
 The little girls were almost speechless with 
 delight when told by their father that these four 
 apartments were to be appropriated solely to 
 their use.
 
 260 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 Lulu caught his hand, and kissed it, tears of 
 mingled joy and penitence springing to her 
 eyes. 
 
 He smiled down at her, and laid his other hand 
 tenderly on her head for an instant. 
 
 Then turning to Max, " Now, my boy," he 
 eaid, "we must settle where you are to lodge. 
 Have you any choice ? ' ' 
 
 "Is it to be more than one room for me, 
 "papa?" he asked, with an arch smile. "I be 
 lieve boys don't usually fare quite so well as girls 
 in such things." 
 
 "My boy does," returned his father: "you 
 shall have two or three rooms if you want them, 
 and quite as well furnished as those of your sis 
 ters." 
 
 " Then, if you please, papa, I'll take those 
 over Lu's, and thank you very much. But as 
 you have already given me several things that 
 my sisters haven't got, a gun, a watch, and 
 that splendid pony, I think it would be quite 
 fair that they should have better and prettier 
 furniture in their rooms than I in mine." 
 
 " That makes no difference, Max," his father 
 answered with a pleased laugh. " I should 
 hardly want the girls to have guns, but watches 
 and ponies they shall have by the time they are 
 as old as you are now." 
 
 At that the two little girls, standing near, ex 
 changed glances ef delight. They had been un-
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 261 
 
 eelfishly glad for Max, and now they rejoiced 
 each for herself and for the other. 
 
 Though, in common with all the rest, deeply 
 interested in the new home, Max was not sorry 
 when his father and Violet decided that it was 
 time to return to Ion ; for he was eager to show 
 his pony to grandma Elsie, Zoe, and Rosie, who 
 had not yet seen it. 
 
 "Papa, do you require me to keep along-side 
 of the carriage?" he asked, as he remounted. 
 
 " No : if you wish, you may act as our avant- 
 courier," was the smiling reply. " I quite un 
 derstand that you are in haste to display your 
 new treasure." 
 
 "Yes, sir: that was why I asked. Thank 
 you, sir ; " and away the lad flew, urging his pony 
 to a rapid gallop. 
 
 He reached Ion some minutes in advance of 
 the carriage, found nearly all of the family who 
 had remained at home on the veranda, and 
 greatly enjoyed their exclamations of surprise 
 and admiration at sight of his steed. 
 
 As he drew rein at the foot of the steps, and 
 lifted his hat to the ladies, Zoe and Rosie came 
 hurriedly forward to get a nearer view. The first 
 exclaimed, 
 
 " What a beautiful pony ! Where did he come 
 from, Max?" 
 
 Rosie asking, " Whose is he? " 
 
 "Mine; a present from papa," replied Max,
 
 262 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 sitting proudly erect, and patting the pony's 
 peck ; " but I don't know where he came from, 
 aunt Zoe. You'll have to ask papa if you want 
 to know." 
 
 " You're in luck, Maxie," she said lightly. 
 
 " Yes, indeed. I was born in luck when I was 
 "born my father's son." 
 
 "Of course you were," she returned, laugh 
 ing. "Where are the others? Oh, here they 
 come ! " as she caught sight of the captain's new 
 carriage just turning in at the avenue-gates. 
 
 Those who were in it were a gay and happy 
 party, who, all the way as they came, had been 
 discussing plans for making the new home more 
 convenient, comfortable, and beautiful, and for 
 the life they were to live in it. 
 
 Woodburn was the principal theme of conver 
 sation in the evening also, the entire family 
 being gathered together in the parlor, and no 
 visitors present. 
 
 " Tell us about your nursery, Vi," said her 
 mother : " where is it to be? " 
 
 " Next to our sleeping-room, mamma, on the 
 other side from Gracie's : you may be sure we 
 want our little ones near us." 
 
 " But is it a pleasant room? " 
 
 " None brighter or cheerier in the house, mam 
 ma ; it is of good size too ; and we mean to have 
 it furnished with every comfort, and in a way to 
 make it as attractive as possible."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 263 
 
 " Pleasantly suggestive pictures among other 
 things?" 
 
 " Yes, mamma. I know, from my own happy 
 experience, that they have a great deal to do with 
 educating a child." 
 
 "In both morals and art?" said the captain, 
 looking smilingly at her. "I should think so, 
 judging from what my wife is ; and surely, it is 
 reasonable to expect a child to be, to some ex 
 tent, a reflection of its surroundings ; refined or 
 vulgar, according to the style of faces living 
 or pictured it is constantly gazing upon, etc. 
 But, however that may be, we will try to keep 
 upon the safe side, furnishing only what must 
 have a good influence, so far as it has any at all." 
 
 Lulu was there, sitting as close to her father 
 as she could well get. She had a feeling that it 
 was the only safe place for her. 
 
 ' ' Shall I have some pictures on my walls, 
 papa? " she asked in a low aside. 
 
 "Yes: we will go some day soon to the city, 
 and choose some fine engravings for your rooms, 
 Max's and Gracie's ; furniture, too, carpets, cur 
 tains, and new paper for the walls." 
 
 " Oh, but that will be delightful ! " she ex 
 claimed. " Papa, you are just too good and 
 kind for any thing." 
 
 Max, who was near at hand, had overheard. 
 "That's so!" he said. " I suppose you mea 
 that I am to go too. papa?"
 
 264 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Yes ; Gracie also. My dear," to Violet, 
 "when will it suit you to accompany us? 
 to-morrow?" 
 
 "To-morrow is Saturday," she said reflect 
 ively. " Suppose we say Monday? I hope baby 
 will be so much better by that time, that I shall 
 feel easy in leaving her for a long day's shop 
 ping." 
 
 "Very well," he said: "we will go Monday 
 morning if nothing happens to prevent." 
 
 " Lulu looks as if she did not know how to 
 wait so long," Violet said, smiling kindly on the 
 little girl. " Can't you take her and Max and 
 Gracie to - morrow, and again on Monday ? 
 Surely, they can select some things for their own 
 rooms, with you to help them." 
 
 " No. I want your taste as well as my own 
 and theirs, and Lulu must learn to wait : it is a 
 lesson she needs," he added, looking down at her 
 with grave kindliness, and pressing affectionately 
 the hand she had slipped into his. 
 
 She flushed, and cast down her eyes. 
 
 "Yes, papa," she murmured, "I will try to 
 be good and patient. I'm sure I ought to be 
 when you are so very good to me." 
 
 " Now, captain, if my taste and judgment were 
 considered equal to Vi's, and Lulu might be 
 spared that lesson," remarked Zoe laughingly, 
 " I'd offer to go in her place, Vi's, I mean. 1 
 think it would be great fun to help choose pio 
 tures, carpets, and furniture."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 265 
 
 " Thank you, Zoe ; that is a kind offer," said 
 Violet : ' ' and if mamma thinks it an enjoyable 
 errand, and will consent to supplement your taste 
 and judgment with hers, they will be a good deal 
 more than equal to mine," she concluded, with a 
 smiling glance at her mother. 
 
 " I am quite of Zoe's opinion as to the pleas 
 antness of the object of the expedition, Vi," 
 Elsie said, " and quite at the service of the cap 
 tain and yourself, to go, or to take your place in 
 watching over baby while you go ; and I think 
 you will find it necessary to spend more than one 
 or two days in the work of selecting what you 
 will want for the furnishing of your home." 
 
 " I dare say you are right about that, mother," 
 said the captain ; ' ' and as it seems to be the de 
 sire of all parties that the work should be begun 
 to-morrow, I think I will take the children and 
 as many of you ladies as may like to accompany 
 us." 
 
 " Papa, mayn't we drive to the city in the new 
 carriage?" pleaded Lulu. "I'd like it ever so 
 much better than going in the cars ; and then we 
 can drive from one store to another, without hav 
 ing to take the street-cars or a hack." 
 
 ' ' It shall be as the ladies who decide to go 
 with us may wish," he said. 
 
 " I think Lulu's plan a very good one," said 
 grandma Elsie, kindly desirous to see the child 
 gratified.
 
 266 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " And I would greatly prefer it, if I should be 
 one of the party," added Zoe. 
 
 "As I trust you will," returned the captain 
 gallantly. " Gracie, daughter, it is tune little 
 ones like you were in their nests. Bid good 
 night, and go." 
 
 The child obeyed instantly and cheerfully. 
 
 " And I must go back to my baby," Violet re 
 marked, as she rose and left the room along with 
 the little girl. 
 
 "You may go to your room, Lulu," the cap 
 tain said, in a quiet aside; "but you need not 
 say good-night to me now : I shall step in to look 
 at you before I go to mine." 
 
 "Yes, papa," she returned, with a glad look, 
 and followed Grace's example. 
 
 " Max, what do you say to a promenade on 
 the veranda with your father?" Capt. Raymond 
 asked, with a smiling glance at his son. 
 
 Max jumped up with alacrity. " That I'd like 
 nothing better, sir," he said ; and they went out 
 together. 
 
 " You are pleased with your pony, Max? " the 
 tjaptain said inquiringly, striking a match and 
 lighting a cigar as he spoke. 
 
 "Yes, indeed, papa!" was the enthusiastic 
 reply. " I feel very rich owning him." 
 
 "And mean to be a kind master to him, I 
 trust?" 
 
 "Yes, sir; oh, yes, indeed! I don't intend
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 267 
 
 ever to speak a cross word to him, much less give 
 him a blow." 
 
 " He has always been used to kind treatment, 
 I was told, and has nothing vicious in his disposi 
 tion," the captain continued, puffing at his cigar, 
 and pacing the veranda with measured tread, 
 Max keeping close at his side : "so I think he 
 will always give you satisfaction, if you are gen 
 tle and kind, never ill-treating him in any way." 
 
 " I mean to make quite a pet of him, sir," 
 Max said. 
 
 Then, with an arch look up into his father's 
 face, a full moon making it light enough for 
 each to see the other's countenance quite dis 
 tinctly, "Papa, you are very generous to me, 
 but you never offer me a cigar." 
 
 The captain stopped short in his walk, and 
 faced his son with some sternness of look and 
 tone. "Max, you haven't learned to smoke? 
 tell me : have you ever smoked a cigar ? or tobacco 
 in any shape?" 
 
 "Yes, sir; but" 
 
 " Don't do it again: I utterly and positively 
 forbid it." 
 
 " Yes, sir : I'll obey ; and, in fact, I have no de 
 sire to smoke again : it was just one cigar I tried ; 
 and it made me so deathly sick, that I've never 
 wanted another. I wouldn't have done it, papa, 
 if you had ever forbidden me ; but but you 
 had never said any thing to me on the subject,
 
 268 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 and I'd seen" Max hesitated, and left his 
 sentence unfinished. 
 
 "You had seen your father smoke, and natu 
 rally thought you might follow his example? " 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " "Well, my son, I can hardly blame you for 
 that ; but there are some things a man may do 
 with impunity, that a boy may not. Tobacco is 
 said to be far more injurious to one who has not 
 attained his growth, than to an adult. But it is 
 not seldom injurious to the latter also : some seem 
 to use it with no bad effect, but it has wrought 
 horrible suffering for many. I am sorry I ever 
 formed the habit, and I would save you from the 
 same regret, or something worse : indeed, so 
 anxious am I to do so, that I would much rather 
 hand you a thousand dollars than a cigar, if I 
 thought you would smoke it." 
 
 "Papa, I promise you I will never try the 
 thing again ; never touch tobacco in any shape," 
 Max said earnestly. 
 
 " Thank you, my son ; and I will give up the 
 habit for your sake," returned his father, grasp 
 ing the lad's hand with one of his, and, with the 
 other, flinging his cigar far down the avenue. 
 
 "Oh, no, papa! don't do it for my sake," 
 said Max. " Cousin Arthur told me that when 
 a man had smoked for years, it cost him a good 
 deal of suffering to give it up ; and I couldn't 
 bear to see you suffer so. I'll refrain all the 
 same, without your stopping."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 269 
 
 " I don't doubt that you would, my dear boy ; 
 and I fully appreciate the affection for me that 
 prompts you to talk in that way," the captain 
 said : " but I have set a bad example quite long 
 enough, not to my own son alone, but to other 
 people's ; and whatever I may have to endure in 
 breaking off from the bad habit, will be no more 
 than I deserve for contracting it. I should be 
 very sorry, Max, to have you feel that you have 
 a coward for a father, a man who would 
 shrink from the course he felt to be right, rather 
 than endure pain, mental or physical." 
 
 ' ' A coward ! O papa ! I could never think 
 that of you!" cried the boy, flushing hotly; 
 " and if ever any fellow should dare to hint such 
 a thing in my hearing, I'd knock him down as 
 quick as a flash." 
 
 The corners of the captain's lips twitched ; but 
 his tones were grave enough as he said, " I don't 
 want you to do any fighting on my account, 
 Max ; and if anybody slanders me, I shall try 
 to live it down. 
 
 ' ' There is another thing I want to talk to you 
 about," he went on presently, "and that is the 
 danger of tampering with intoxicating drinks. 
 The only safe plan is to let them entirely alone. 
 I am thankful to be able to say that I have not 
 set you a bad example in that direction. My 
 good mother taught me to ' touch not, taste not, 
 handle not ; ' and I have never taken so much as
 
 270 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 a glass of wine ; though there have been times, 
 my boy, when it required some moral courage to 
 stand out against the persuasions, and especially 
 the ridicule, of my companions." 
 
 Max's eyes sparkled. "I know it must, 
 papa," he said; "and when I am tried in the 
 same way, I'll remember my father's example, 
 and try to act as bravely as he did."
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 "Train up a child in the way he should go." PEOV. 
 xxii. 6. 
 
 " PAPA, I want to ask you for something," was 
 Lulu's eager salutation, as, in accordance with 
 his promise, he stepped into her room, on the way 
 to his own, to bid her good-night. 
 
 "Well, daughter," he said, sitting down, and 
 drawing her into his arms, " there is scarcely any 
 thing that gives me more pleasure than gratify 
 ing any reasonable request from you. What is 
 it you want ? ' ' 
 
 " Leave to invite Evelyn to go with us to 
 morrow, if you don't think it will make too 
 many, papa." 
 
 " I suppose it would add greatly to your enjoy 
 ment to have her with you," he said reflectively. 
 "Yes, you may ask her; or I will do so, early 
 in the morning, through the telephone, if the 
 weather is such that we can go." 
 
 "Thank you, you dear papa," she said, giv 
 ing him a hug and kiss. "I ought to be a very 
 good girl, for you are always so kind to me." 
 
 She was up betimes the next morning, eagerly 
 
 271
 
 272 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 scanning the sky, which, to her great delight, 
 gave every indication of fair weather for the day. 
 
 She hastened to array herself in suitable attire 
 for her trip to the city, having consulted grand 
 ma Elsie on the subject the night before, and 
 had just finished when she heard her father's 
 step in the hall. 
 
 She ran to open the door. 
 
 " Good-morning, little daughter," he said with 
 a smile, and stooping to give her a caress. " I 
 have just been to the telephone. Evelyn will go 
 with us, and I trust you will both enjoy your 
 day." 
 
 " Oh, I know I shall ! " she cried : " it will be 
 just delightful ! Are we all to go in the carriage, 
 papa ? ' ' 
 
 " All but Max : he prefers to ride his pony." 
 
 "I should think he would. I'm so glad you 
 gave it to him, papa! " There was not a trace 
 of envy or jealousy in her look or tone. 
 
 " "Wouldn't you like to have one? " he asked. 
 
 "Oh, yes, indeed, papa! but," hanging her 
 head, and blushing deeply, "I don't deserve 
 it." 
 
 " I intend to give you one as soon as you have 
 learned to have patience under provocation, so 
 that I shall be able to trust you to treat him 
 kindly," he said. " How soon do you think that 
 will be ? " 
 
 " I don't know, papa. It will be a good while
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 273 
 
 before I can feel at all sure of myself," she an* 
 swered humbly. 
 
 " I hope it will," he said ; then, as she looked 
 up in surprise, " The apostle says, ' When I am 
 weak, then am I strong.' When we feel our own 
 weakness, and look to God for help, then we are 
 strong with a strength far greater than our own ; 
 but when we grow self-confident, and trust in our 
 own strength, we are very apt to find it but weak 
 ness. 
 
 " And now I must caution you to be on your 
 guard to-day against any exhibition of self-will 
 and ill temper, if your wishes are overruled by 
 those older and wiser than yourself." 
 
 " Why, papa, am I not to be allowed to choose 
 the things for my own rooms?" she asked, in 
 tone of deep disappointment. 
 
 "I intend that your taste shall be consulted, 
 my child," he said ; " but I cannot promise that 
 you shall have, in every case, exactly what you 
 most prefer. You might select carpets, curtains, 
 and upholstery of material and colors that would 
 wear poorly, or fade very soon. Therefore we 
 must take grandma Elsie into our counsels, and 
 get her help in deciding what to take ; for I am 
 sure you would like neither to have your rooms 
 disfigured with faded, worn-out furnishings, or to 
 put your father to the expense of refurnishing 
 for you very soon." 
 
 *' Oh, no, papa ! No, indeed," she said.
 
 74 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "Besides," he went on, "don't you wish to 
 consult my taste too? Would you not have 
 your rooms pleasing to my eyes when I pay a 
 visit to them, as I shall every day? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, papa ! Yes, indeed ! I think I shall 
 care more for that than to have them look pretty 
 to myself," she answered, with a look of eager 
 delight, the cloud having entirely cleared from 
 her brow. 
 
 " Then, I think we are not likely to have any 
 trouble," he said, smoothing her hair caressingly, 
 and smiling approvingly upon her. 
 
 " Now we will go down to breakfast, and we 
 are to set out very soon after the meal is over." 
 He rose, and took her hand in his, to lead her 
 down to the breakfast-room. 
 
 " Papa," she said, looking up at him with eyes 
 shining with filial love, " how kind you were to 
 reason with me in that nice way, instead of say 
 ing sternly, as you might have done, ' Now, 
 Lulu, if you are naughty about the choice of 
 things for furnishing your rooms, you sha'n't 
 have any thing pretty for them, and when we get 
 home I'll punish you severely ! ' 
 
 " Certainly, I might have done that, and prob 
 ably with the effect of securing your good be 
 havior," he said; "but I think neither of us 
 would have felt quite so happy as we do now." 
 
 " I am sure I should not," she said, lifting hia 
 hand to her lips.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 275 
 
 That little talk had a most happy effect upon 
 Lulu, so that throughout the entire day she 
 showed herself as docile and amiable as any one 
 could have desired. 
 
 Her father, on his part, was extremely indul 
 gent toward all three of his children, in every 
 case in which he felt that it was right and wise 
 to be so, sparing no reasonable expense to grat 
 ify their tastes and wishes. But in several mat 
 ters they yielded readily to his or grandma 
 Elsie's better judgment ; indeed, always, when 
 asked to do so, seeming, too, well satisfied with 
 the final decision. 
 
 They returned home, a very happy set of chil 
 dren, except, in Lulu's case, when memory re 
 called the passionate outburst of the early part 
 of the week with its dire consequences : that 
 remembrance would be a sore spot in her heart, 
 and a bitter humiliation, for many a day, probably 
 for the rest of her life. 
 
 Rosie was on the veranda awaiting their ar 
 rival. 
 
 " Well, have you had a good time, and bought 
 great quantities of pretty things ?" she asked, 
 addressing the company in general. 
 
 It was Zoe who answered first. 
 
 " Yes : if these young Raymonds are not sat 
 isfied with the furnishing of their apartments, I, 
 for one, shall deem them the most unreasonable 
 and ungrateful of human kind."
 
 276 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " She won't have a chance to, though," said 
 Max; "for we're delighted with every thing 
 papa has got us. Aren't we, Lu and Gracie? " 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! " they both replied. " Oh, we 
 have ever so many beautiful things ! Papa and 
 grandma Elsie helped us to choose them ; so, of 
 course, they are all just right," added Lulu, 
 looking gratefully from one to the other. 
 
 " She takes no account of my very valuable 
 assistance," laughed Zoe. 
 
 " Never mind : you are sure to be appreciated 
 in one quarter," said Edward, coming up at that 
 moment, catching her round the waist, and be 
 stowing a hearty kiss upon each cheek. " I have 
 been lost without my wife all day." 
 
 "How good of you!" she returned merrily. 
 " I doubt if it isn't a very good plan to run 
 away occasionally, that I may be the more highly 
 appreciated on my return." 
 
 " Would you advise me to do likewise, and for 
 the same reason, lady mine?" he asked, draw 
 ing her caressingly aside from the little group 
 now busily occupied in telling and hearing about 
 the day's purchases. 
 
 " No, sir," she said, tossing back her curls, 
 and looking up into his face with a bewitchingly 
 saucy smile: "you'd better not attempt it, lest 
 there should be mutiny in the camp. When you 
 go, I go too." 
 
 "Turn about, fair play," he said, knitting hia
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 277 
 
 bro^rs. *' I claim the privilege of being quite as 
 independent as you are when you can't plead 
 delegated authority from the doctor ; " and, draw* 
 lug her hand within his arm, he led her away to 
 Mieir private apartments. 
 
 Violet, hurrying down to welcome her husband 
 home, passed them on the stairway. 
 
 "You two happy children!" she said, glan 
 cing smilingly back at them. 
 
 "Children!" echoed Edward. "Mrs. Ray 
 mond, how can you be so disrespectful to your 
 lder brother? your senior by some two years." 
 
 ' ' Ah ! but your united ages are much less than 
 Levis's and mine ; and husband and wife make 
 but one, don't they? " she returned gay ly, as she 
 tripped away. 
 
 Baby was almost herself again, and the young 
 mother's heart was full of gladness. 
 
 She joined the group on the veranda, her hus 
 band receiving her with a glad smile and tender 
 caress, and standing by his side, her hand on his 
 shoulder, his arm half supporting her slight, 
 girlish form, listened with lively interest to the 
 etory his children were telling so eagerly, of 
 papa's kindness and generosity to them, and the 
 many lovely things bought to make beautiful and 
 attractive the rooms in the new home that were 
 to be especially theirs. 
 
 He let them talk without restraint for some 
 moments, then said pleasantly, " Now, my dears,
 
 278 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 it is time for you to go and make yourselves neat 
 for the tea-table. Any thing more you think of 
 that would be likely to interest Rosie and Walter, 
 you can tell them afterwards." 
 
 The order was obeyed promptly and cheerfully, 
 even by Lulu. 
 
 When the excitement of telling about their 
 purchases, and all the day's experiences, was 
 over, the children found themselves very weary, 
 the two little girls at least : Max wouldn't ac 
 knowledge that he was at all fatigued, but was 
 quite willing to comply with his father's sugges 
 tion that it would be wise for him, as well as for 
 his sisters, to go early to bed. 
 
 While Lulu was making ready for hers, her 
 thoughts turned upon the morrow, bringing with 
 them a new source of disquiet. 
 
 "Papa," she said pleadingly, when he came 
 in to bid her good-night, " mayn't I stay at home 
 to-morrow?" 
 
 " Stay at home from church? Not unless you 
 are sick, or the weather quite too bad for you to 
 go out. Why should you wish it? " 
 
 ' ' Because because I I'm afraid people 
 have heard about about how bad I was the 
 other day ; and so I I can't bear to go 
 where I'll be seen by strangers. No, I mean 
 by folks out of the house that know who I am, 
 and what happened the other day." 
 
 " My child, I am sorry for you," he said, tak
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 279 
 
 mg her on his knee ; " but it is a part of the pun 
 ishment you have brought upon yourself, and 
 will have to bear." 
 
 " But let me stay at home to-morrow, won't 
 you?" 
 
 " No : it is a duty to go to church, as well as a 
 privilege to be allowed to do so. 
 
 " ' Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves 
 together, as the manner of some is,' the Bible 
 says ; so I cannot allow you to absent yourself 
 from the services of the sanctuary when you are 
 able to attend. 
 
 " As I have told you before, I must obey the 
 directions I find in God's "Word, and, as far as 
 lies in my power, see that my children obey them 
 too." 
 
 " I'd rather take a whipping than go to-mor 
 row," she muttered, half under her breath. 
 
 " I hope you are not going to be so naughty 
 that you will have to do both," he said very 
 gravely. " You have been a very good girl to 
 day, and I want you to end it as such." 
 
 " I mean to, papa ; I'd be ashamed to be 
 naughty after all you have done for me, and 
 given me to-day : and I mean to be pleasant 
 about going to church to-morrow ; though it'll 
 be ever so hard, and I'm sure you wouldn't want 
 to go if you were me." 
 
 "If you were I," he corrected. "No: if I 
 were you, I suppose I should feel just as you do;
 
 280 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 but the question is not what we want to do, but 
 what God bids us do. 
 
 " Jesus said, ' If ye love me, keep my command 
 ments.' ' He that hath my commandments, and 
 keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.' 
 
 " It is the dearest wish of my heart to see my 
 children his followers, showing their love to him 
 by an earnest endeavor to keep all his command 
 ments." 
 
 "Papa, you always want to do right, don't 
 you? " she asked. " I mean, you like it ; and so 
 it's never hard for you as it is for me? " 
 
 " No, daughter, it is sometimes very far from 
 being easy and pleasant for me to do what I feel 
 to be my duty ; for instance, when it is to inflict 
 pain upon you, or another of my dear children, 
 or deny you some indulgence that you crave. I 
 should like to grant your request of to-night, if 
 I could feel that it would be right ; but I cannot, 
 and therefore must deny it." 
 
 Lulu acquiesced in the decision with a deep 
 sigh, and half hoped that something a storm, 
 or even a fit of sickness might come to prevent 
 her from having to go to church. 
 
 But Sunday morning was as bright and clear 
 as the one before it, and she in perfect health ; 
 so there was no escape from the dreaded ordeal. 
 
 She ventured upon no further entreaty, knowing 
 it would be altogether useless, and quite as much 
 from love to her father, and a real desire to
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 281 
 
 please him, as from fear of punishment, behaved 
 herself as well as possible. 
 
 But she kept as entirely in the background as 
 she could, not looking at or speaking to any one 
 unless directly addressed. 
 
 No one, however, gave her any reason to sup 
 pose her agency in the baby's accident was 
 known ; and she returned to Ion with a lighter 
 heart than she had carried with her when she 
 went. 
 
 She had not seen the baby yet, since its fall, 
 and though longing to do so, having an ardent 
 affection for the winsome little creature, did not 
 dare to ask that she might. 
 
 But as she was about to go into her own room, 
 on reaching home, her father said, " Would you 
 like to go with me to the nursery, Lulu, and see 
 your little sister? " 
 
 "Oh, so much, papa, if I may ! " she cried 
 eagerly. "But," half drawing back, "perhaps 
 she will be afraid of me." 
 
 "I trust not," he said, with emotion. "I 
 hope she does not know that you had any thing 
 to do with her fall. Come and see." 
 
 He took her hand, and led her to the nursery. 
 The baby was awake, sitting in its nurse's lap, 
 and looking bright, but so much thinner and 
 paler than before her fall, that tears sprang to 
 Lulu's eyes, and she could scarce refrain from 
 sobbing aloud.
 
 282 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 But the little one, catching sight of her, held 
 out its arms, with a joyful cry, " Lu ! " 
 
 At that, Lulu's tears fell fast. 
 
 " May I take her, papa? " she asked sobbing- 
 ly, and with an entreating look up into his face. 
 " I won't hurt her, I wouldn't for all the world ! " 
 
 " You may take her," he said, his tones a trifle 
 tremulous: "I am quite sure you would never 
 hurt her intentionally." 
 
 Lulu gladly availed herself of the permission, 
 took the baby in her arms, and sat down with it 
 on her lap. 
 
 " Lu, Lu ! " the little one repeated in her sweet 
 baby voice ; and Lulu hugged her close, kissing 
 her again and again, and saying softly, "You 
 dear, sweet darling; sister loves you, indeed, 
 indeed she does ! " 
 
 The captain looked on, his heart swelling with 
 joy and thankfulness over the evident mutual 
 affection of the two ; for there had been a time 
 when he feared Lulu would never love the child 
 of her step-mother as she did Max and Grace. 
 
 Violet entered the room at that moment, and 
 the little scene caused her eyes to fill with tears 
 of gladness. 
 
 She was ready for the shopping expedition 
 the next day : the children were allowed to go 
 too, and again had a most enjoyable time. 
 
 After that they were told lessons must be 
 taken up again : and Lulu passed most of her
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 283 
 
 time in her own room, generally engaged in pre 
 paring her tasks for her father to hear in the 
 evening ; for he was now so busy with the im 
 provements being carried forward at Woodburn, 
 that very often he could not attend to her recita 
 tions till after tea. 
 
 She continued to think him the kindest and 
 most interesting teacher she had ever had ; while 
 he found, to his surprise, that he had a liking 
 for the occupation, aside from his fatherly, in 
 terest in his pupil : and Max and Grace, listen 
 ing to Lulu's report, grew anxious for the time 
 when they could share her privileges. 
 
 But their waiting-time would not be very long. 
 As soon as Miss Elliott's stipulated two weeks 
 had expired, she would leave Woodburn, and 
 they would take possession immediately. Their 
 father and his young wife were quite as eager as 
 they to begin the new order of things.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 IN THE NEW HOME. 
 
 THE moving to Woodburn was not a formid 
 able affair, there being little to carry from Ion 
 besides the personal belongings of parents and 
 children ; and, indeed, nearly every thing, even 
 of that kind, had been sent over beforehand. 
 
 Miss Elliott went one morning ; and the Ray 
 monds drove over scarcely an hour later, to find 
 the greater part of the house in perfect order, a 
 full staff of competent servants, and an excellent 
 dinner in course of preparation. 
 
 Max and his sisters had been directed to stay 
 away from the place ever since the day when 
 their rooms were assigned them, and now a glad 
 surprise awaited them. 
 
 " Come up-stairs," their father said, when they 
 had made the circuit of the lower rooms. " My 
 dear," to Violet, " will you please come too? " 
 
 " With all my heart," she returned gayly, and 
 tripped lightly after him up the broad stairway, 
 the children following. 
 
 He led them first to her apartments, and on 
 
 284
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 285 
 
 through them into those of the little girls, greatly 
 enjoying the exclamations of wonder and delight 
 from her and the children. 
 
 They had all supposed the work of renovation 
 and improvement was not to be begun till after 
 the departure of Miss Elliott ; but they found it 
 not only begun, but finished ; the new papers 
 they had chosen were already on the walls, the 
 carpets down, the curtains up, mirrors and pic 
 tures hung, and furniture in place. 
 
 Max's rooms, visited last, were found to be in 
 like condition, not at all inferior to those of 
 his sisters in any respect. 
 
 Violet was greatly pleased ; the children were 
 wild with delight ; every thing was so dainty and 
 fresh, there was such an air of elegance and 
 refinement about the appointments of each room, 
 that all were charmed with the effect. 
 
 They were hardly yet satisfied with gazing and 
 commenting, when the summons to dinner came. 
 
 They trooped down to the dining-room, the 
 captain and Violet leading the way, and seated 
 themselves at the table. 
 
 Here, too, all was new and handsome ; the 
 napery, china, glass and silver ware, such as 
 would not have suffered by comparison with what 
 they had been accustomed to at Ion and Viamede. 
 
 Lulu was beginning to express that opinion, 
 when her father silenced her by a gesture. 
 
 All quieted down at once, while he reverently
 
 286 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 gave thanks for their food, and asked God's 
 blessing upon it. 
 
 "May I talk now, papa?" she asked, a mo 
 ment after he had finished. 
 
 " Yes, if you have any thing to say worth our 
 hearing." 
 
 "I'm not sure about that," she said ; " but "\ 
 wanted to tell you how beautiful I think the 
 china and glass and silver are." 
 
 "Ah!" he said, smiling, "I am glad they 
 meet your approval." 
 
 " O papa ! such a nice, nice home as you have 
 made for us ! " exclaimed Grace in her turn. 
 " Isn't it, Maxie? " turning to her brother. 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! and we'll have to be nice, nice 
 children to fit the home, won't we, Gracie? " 
 
 "Yes, and to fit papa and mamma," she re 
 sponded, sending a merry glance from one to 
 the other. 
 
 Both smiled upon her in return. 
 
 ' ' We are going to have a house-warming this 
 evening, Gracie," said her father: "do you 
 know what that is? " 
 
 "No, papa; but I think it's very nice and 
 warm now in all the rooms. Don't you? " 
 
 "It is quite comfortable, I think; but the 
 house-warming will be an assembling of our rel 
 atives and friends to celebrate our coming into 
 it, by having a pleasant, social time with us." 
 
 " Oh, that will be nice ! " she exclaimed. " How
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 287 
 
 many are coming, papa? I s'pose you've 'vited 
 grandma Elsie and all the rest of the folks from 
 Ion, and all the folks at Fairview? " 
 
 " Yes, and from the Oaks, the Pines, the 
 Laurels, Roselands, and Ashlands ; and we hope 
 they will all come." 
 
 She gave him a wistful look. 
 
 " Well," he said with a smile, " what is it? " 
 
 " Papa, you know I 'most always have to go 
 to bed at eight o'clock. I'd like ever so much to 
 stay up till nine to-night, if you are willing." 
 
 " If you will take a nap after dinner, you 
 may," he replied in an indulgent tone. " Max 
 and Lulu may stay up later than usual if they 
 will do likewise." 
 
 They all accepted the condition with thanks, 
 and at the conclusion of the meal retired to their 
 respective rooms to fulfil it. 
 
 Violet also, having not yet entirely recovered 
 from the ill effects of anxiety and nursing, con 
 sequent upon the bab3"'s injury, retired to her 
 apartments to rest and sleep. 
 
 Capt. Raymond went to the library to busy 
 himself with some correspondence first, after 
 wards with books and papers. He had one of 
 these last in his hand, a pile of them on the table 
 before him, when, from the open doorway into 
 the hall, Lulu's voice asked, 
 
 " Papa, may I come in? are you very busy?" 
 
 " Not too busy to be glad of my little girl's
 
 288 ELSIE'S KITH AKD Riff. 
 
 company," he said, glancing up froit his paper 
 with a pleasant smile. " Come and sit on my 
 knee." 
 
 She availed herself of the invitation with joy 
 ful haste. 
 
 "I thought you were taking a nap," he re 
 marked, as he put his arm round her, and kissed 
 the ruby lips she held up in mute request. 
 
 "So I was, papa; but you didn't intend me 
 to sleep all the afternoon, did you? " she asked, 
 with a gleeful laugh, and nestling closer to him. 
 
 "No, hardly," he returned, joining in her 
 mirth : "so much sleep in the daytime would be 
 apt to interfere with your night's rest. I want 
 you all to have sufficient sleep in the twenty-four 
 hours to keep you in health of body and mind, 
 but should be very sorry to have you become 
 sluggards, so fond of your beds as to waste 
 time in drowsing there, that should be spent in 
 the exercise and training of body or mind. What 
 have you been doing besides napping? " 
 
 " Enjoying my lovely, lovely rooms, papa, 
 and examining the closets and wardrobe and 
 bureau, to find out just where all my things have 
 been put." 
 
 "That was well. Do you know any thing 
 about housework, sweeping, dusting, and keep 
 ing things neat and tidy ? ' ' 
 
 " Not very much, papa." 
 
 " That is to be a part of your education," he
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 289 
 
 said. " I want my daughters to become thorough 
 housekeepers, conversant with all the details of 
 Bvery branch of the business. Gracie is not old 
 enough or strong enough to begin that part of 
 her training yet, but you are ; so you must take 
 care of your rooms yourself, except when some 
 thing more than sweeping, dusting, and bed- 
 making is needed." 
 
 "I'd like well enough to do it sometimes, 
 papa," she said, looking a little crestfallen; 
 "but I don't like to be tied down to doing it 
 every day, because some days I shall want to be 
 busy at something else ; and besides, it is so 
 much like being a servant." 
 
 "My little girl, that isn't a right kind of 
 pride ; honest labor is no disgrace ; and ' Six 
 days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work,' is as 
 much a command of God as the ' In it (the sab 
 bath) thou shalt not do any work.' ' 
 
 "Yes, papa: and I don't think I'm lazy; I 
 like to be busy, and sometimes work for hours 
 together at my fret-sawing." 
 
 " No, I have never thought you an indolent 
 child," he said, smoothing her hair caressingly; 
 " but I am afraid you are wilful, and inclined to 
 think yourself wiser than your elders, even your 
 father." 
 
 "Please, papa, don't think that," she said, 
 blushing, and hanging her head: "I know 
 are much wiser than I am."
 
 290 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "Is it, then, that you doubt my affection foi 
 you? " he asked seriously. 
 
 "Why, papa, how could I, when you are so 
 good to me, and often tell me that you love me 
 dearly?" 
 
 "What, then, is the trouble? if you believe 
 your father to be both wise and loving, and if 
 you love him, and want to please him, how can 
 you object to his plans and wishes for you ? ' ' 
 
 "But, papa, who is to teach me how to take 
 care of my rooms? Not mamma Vi, I suppose? 
 I never saw her do any such work ; and would 
 you want me taught by one of the servants ? ' ' 
 she queried, blushing vividly. 
 
 "No," he said: "I have a better plan than 
 that. I have engaged Christine to be house 
 keeper here, and she will instruct you in all 
 housewifely arts. She is a lady in education 
 and manners, and you need feel it no degrada 
 tion to be instructed by her." 
 
 " Oh, that will be nice ! and I'll try to learn 
 to do the work well, and to like it, too, to please 
 you, my own, dear papa," she said, looking up 
 lovingly into his face, her own growing very 
 bright again. 
 
 "That is right, my dear little daughter," he 
 returned, smiling kindly upon her. 
 
 " You asked just now," he went on, " if your 
 mamma Vi would teach you these things. When 
 I asked her to become my wife, I promised that
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 291 
 
 she should have no care or responsibility in the 
 matter of training and looking after the welfare 
 of the three children I then had ; because her 
 mother objected, that she was too young for such 
 a burden : so now that I can live at home with 
 my children, and have no business that need 
 interfere, I shall do my best to be father and 
 mother both to them." 
 
 "How nice, papa!" she exclaimed joyfully. 
 " Oh, I do think we ought to be the happiest 
 children in the world, with such a dear, kind 
 father, and such a lovely home ! But ' ' her 
 face clouded, and she sighed deeply. 
 
 "But what, my child?" 
 
 " I was thinking of that dreadful temper that 
 is always getting the better of me. But you will 
 help me to conquer it, papa?" she added, half 
 inquiringly, half in assertion. 
 
 " I fully intend to do all in my power to that 
 end," he said in a tender tone ; " but, my beloved 
 child, the hardest part of the battle must inev 
 itably be your own. You must watch and pray 
 against that, your besetting sin, never allowing 
 yourself to be a moment off your guard." 
 
 " I mean to, papa ; and you will watch me, and. 
 warn me when you see that I am forgetting? " 
 
 " I shall be constantly endeavoring to do so,'* 
 he answered, "trying to guard and guide all 
 my children, looking carefully after their welfare, 
 physical, mental, moral, and spiritual.
 
 292 ELS IE '8 RITE AND KIN 
 
 " To that end, I have just been examining some 
 of the reading-matter which has been provided 
 for them in my absence ; and, so far as I have 
 made myself acquainted with it, I decidedly ap 
 prove it, as I expected I should ; having all con 
 fidence in those who chose it for you, grandpa 
 Dinsmore and grandma Elsie. 
 
 " This little paper, ' The Youth's Companion,' 
 strikes me as very entertaining and instructive, 
 also of excellent moral tone. Do you like it? " 
 
 "Oh, yes, indeed, papa! we are all very fond 
 of it, and find a great deal of useful information 
 in it. I wouldn't be without it for a great deal, 
 nor Max wouldn't either ; and Gracie likes the 
 part for the little folks ever so much." 
 
 "Then, we will continue to take it," he said ; 
 " also this magazine, ' St. Nicholas,' if you 
 like it, as I can hardly doubt that you do." 
 
 " Indeed we do ! " she exclaimed : "we 
 wouldn't any of us like to do without that, either. 
 Oh, I am glad you will let us go on with both 
 that and the paper ! 
 
 ' ' Papa, where is the schoolroom ? You haven't 
 shown us that yet." 
 
 " No ; and here come Max and Gracie," he 
 said, as the two came hurrying in together. " I 
 will show it to you now." 
 
 " What, papa? " asked Max. 
 
 "Oh! is there. something more to see?" ex 
 claimed Grace, running to her father, and putting
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 293 
 
 her hand in his. "Oh, it's ever so nice to have 
 Buch a beautiful home, and so many beautiful 
 new things to look at ! " 
 
 "It is only your schoolroom this time," her 
 father said, closing his fingers lovingly over the 
 little hand, and smiling down into the sweet blue 
 eyes upraised so gratefully to his. 
 
 " Oh, yes, I want to see that ! I'd 'most for 
 gotten 'bout it," she said, skipping along by his 
 side as he led the way, Max and Lulu following. 
 
 The room he had selected for the purpose was 
 in a wing attached to the main building at the 
 end farthest removed from Violet's apartments ; 
 for he did not want her to be disturbed by any 
 noise the children might make, or them to feel 
 constrained to keep very quiet when not engaged 
 in study or recitation. There was a simultane 
 ous burst of delight from the three, as he threw 
 open the door, and ushered them in. Every thing 
 had been done to render that as attractive as any 
 other part of the mansion : the windows reached 
 almost from floor to ceiling, some opening on to 
 the veranda, one looking directly out upon lawn 
 and flower-garden, with a glimpse of the wood 
 and the brook beyond ; a handsome rug covered 
 the centre of the stained and polished floor. In 
 an open fireplace a bright wood fire was blazing, 
 an easy-chair on each side of it ; and a sofa on 
 the farther side of the room seemed to Invite 
 to repose : but the handsome writing-table, and
 
 894 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN, 
 
 three pretty rosewood desks, were suggestive of 
 work to be done ere the occupants of the room 
 might feel entitled to rest. The walls were tinted 
 a delicate gray, an excellent background for the 
 pictures that adorned them here and there : most 
 of these were marine views, that over the fire 
 place, a very large and fine one, of a storm at 
 sea. 
 
 On the mantel-shelf were heaped sea-mosses, 
 shells, and coral ; but the tiles below it repre 
 sented Scripture scenes. Blinds and curtains 
 shaded the windows ; and the broad, low sills 
 were cushioned, making pleasant places to sit in. 
 
 ' ' It will be just a pleasure to study in such a 
 place as this," cried Max, rubbing his hands 
 with satisfaction, and smiling all over his face. 
 
 " Indeed it will ! especially with such a teacher 
 as we are to have," chimed in Lulu. 
 
 " Oh, I'm just in ever such a hurry to begin ! " 
 said Grace. " Papa, which is my desk? " 
 
 " They are exactly alike," h*> said. " 1 
 thought of having yours made a trifle lower than 
 the others, but concluded to give you a foot- rest 
 instead, as you will soon grow tall enough to 
 want it the height it now is. Max and Lulu, 
 shall we give your little sister the first choice, as 
 she is the youngest? " 
 
 " Yes, indeed, papa ! yes, indeed ! " they both 
 answered with hearty good will, Max adding, 
 * And Lu must have the next, if you please/ 
 papa.' '
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 293 
 
 That matter being speedily settled, the next 
 question was when school was to begin. They 
 were all three asking it. 
 
 "You may have your choice we will put it 
 to vote whether we will begin to-morrow morn 
 ing, or not till Monday," replied their father; 
 " to-morrow, you will remember, is Thursday : 
 we will begin school regularly at nine o'clock 
 each morning ; and it is to last four hours, not 
 including five or ten minutes at the end of every 
 hour for rest. ' ' 
 
 " That'll be ever so nice ! " was Lulu's com 
 ment. 
 
 " That's so," said Max. " I see you are not 
 going to be hard on a fellow, papa.'* 
 
 " Wait till you are sure," said his father: 
 " there's to be no idling, no half attention to 
 study, in those hours ; you are to give your whole 
 minds to your lessons, and I shall be very strict 
 in exacting perfect recitations." 
 
 " Do you mean, sir, that we are to repeat the 
 answers in the book, word for word? " 
 
 " No, not at all. I -shall very much prefer to 
 have you give the sense in your own words : then 
 I shall know that you understand the meaning of 
 the text, and are not repeating sounds merely 
 like a parrot ; that you have not been going over 
 the words without trying to take in the ideas they 
 are meant to express." 
 
 " But suppose we can't catch the writer's 
 meaning?"
 
 296 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " If you fail to do so, after giving your best 
 efforts to the task, your teacher will always be 
 ready to explain to the best of his ability," was 
 the smiling rejoinder. "But remember, all of 
 you, that I intend you to use your own brains 
 with as little assistance from other people's as 
 possible. Mind as well as body grows strong by 
 exercise." 
 
 " But we haven't decided when we are to be 
 gin," said Lulu. 
 
 " I vote for to-morrow," said Max: " after 
 noons will give us time enough to do any thing 
 else we want to." 
 
 " Yes : I second the motion," she said. 
 
 " And I third it," added Grace. " Now, papa, 
 you are laughing at me, and so is Max. "Wasn't 
 that the right way to say it? " 
 
 " It was 'most as right as Lu's," said Max. 
 
 "And both will do well enough," said their 
 father. 
 
 ' ' I was going to ask if I might have Eva here 
 to visit me to-morrow, papa," said Lulu ; " but 
 she'll be busy with lessons in the morning too. 
 May I ask her to come in the afternoon? " 
 
 " Yes : you can ask her this evening ; she will 
 be here with the rest. 
 
 " Now I have something else to show you. 
 Come with me." 
 
 He took Gracie's hand again, and led them 
 to a small, detached building, only a few yards
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 297 
 
 distant, a one-story frame, so prettily designed 
 that it was quite an ornament to the grounds. 
 
 The children exclaimed in surprise ; for, though 
 it had been there on their former visit to Wood- 
 burn, it was so greatly changed that they failed 
 to recognize it. 
 
 " It wasn't here before, papa, was it?" asked 
 Grace. " I'm sure I didn't see it." 
 
 " Yes, it was here,'" he said, as he ushered 
 them in, " but I have had it altered and fitted 
 up expressly for my children's use : you see, it is 
 a little away from the house, so that the noise of 
 saws and hammers will not be likely to prove an 
 annoyance to your mamma and visitors. See, 
 this is a workroom furnished with fret and scroll 
 saws,. and every sort of tool that I know of which 
 would be likely to prove useful to you, Max and 
 Lulu." 
 
 "Papa, thank you! how good and kind you 
 are to us ! " they both exclaimed, glancing about 
 them, then up into his face, with sparkling eyes. 
 
 "You must have spent a great deal of money 
 on us, sir," added Max thoughtfully. 
 
 "Yes, indeed," chimed in Lulu with a slight 
 look of uneasiness. ' ' Papa, I do hope you won't 
 have to go without any thing you want, because 
 you've used up so much on these and other things 
 for us." 
 
 " No, my dears ; and if you are only good and 
 obedient, and make the best use of what I have
 
 298 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 provided, I shall never regret any thing of what 
 t have done for you. 
 
 " See here, Grade." 
 
 He opened an inner door as he spoke, and 
 showed a playroom as completely fitted up for 
 its intended use as the room they were in. It 
 Was about the same size as the workroom, the 
 two occupying the whole of the small building. 
 
 A pretty carpet covered the floor, a few pictures 
 hung on the delicately tinted walls ; there were 
 chairs and a sofa of suitable size for the comfort 
 of the intended occupants, and smaller ones on 
 which Grade's numerous dolls were seated ; a 
 cupboard with glass doors showed sets of toy 
 china dishes, and all the accessories for dinner 
 and tea table ; there were also a bureau, wash- 
 stand, and table corresponding in size with the 
 rest of the furniture ; and the captain, pulling 
 open the drawers of the first named, showed 
 them well stocked with material of various kinds, 
 suitable for making into new garments for the 
 dolls, and with all the necessary implements, 
 needles, thread, thimbles, scissors, etc. 
 
 The two little girls were almost breathless with 
 astonishment and delight. 
 
 " Papa ! " cried Gracie, " you haven't left one 
 single thing for Santa Glaus to bring us on Christ 
 mas ! " 
 
 "Haven't I?" he returned, laughing, and 
 pinching her round, rosy cheek. "Ah, well!
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 29$ 
 
 wouldn't you as soon have them as presents from 
 your own papa? " 
 
 "Oh, yes, papa! I know he's just pretend, 
 and it would be you or some of the folks that 
 love me," she said, laying her cheek against his 
 hand ; " but I like to pretend it, 'cause it's such 
 fun." 
 
 ' ' There are a good many weeks yet to Christ 
 mas-time," remarked Lulu; "and perhaps our 
 Santa Glaus folks will think up something else 
 for you, Grade." 
 
 "Perhaps they may," said the captain, "if 
 she is good : good children are not apt to be 
 forgotten or neglected, and I hope mine are all 
 going to be such." 
 
 "I'm quite sure we all intend to try hard, 
 papa," Max said, "not hoping to gain more 
 presents by it, but because you've been so good 
 to us already." 
 
 " Indeed we do ! " added his sisters.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 " Then all was jollity, 
 Feasting and mirth, light wantonness and laughter." 
 
 "Ix seems nice and warm here," remarked 
 Lulu ; " but," glancing about, " I don't see any 
 fire." 
 
 Her father pointed to a register. ' ' There is a 
 cellar underneath, and a furnace in it," he said. 
 " I thought that the safest way to heat these 
 rooms for the use of very little people. I do 
 not want to expose you to any danger of setting 
 yourselves on fire." 
 
 " It's getting a little dark," remarked Grace. 
 
 " Yes," he said. " We will go in now. It is 
 time for you to be dressed for the evening." 
 
 " Papa, who is to tell us what to wear, you, 
 or mamma Vi?" asked Lulu, as they pursued 
 their way back to the house. 
 
 ' ' You may wear your cream-colored cashmere 
 with the cherry trimmings ; Gracie, hers with the 
 blue," he replied. 
 
 " That's just what I wanted you to say, papa 
 I like those dresses," remarked L,ulu with sati? 
 faction. 
 
 300
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 301 
 
 u That is well : and Gracie, of course, ia 
 pleased ; for she never objects to any thing papa 
 or mamma wishes her to do," he said, with a lov 
 ing glance down into the little girl's face. 
 
 " 'Course not, papa ; 'cause I know you and 
 mamma always know best," she said, her blue 
 eyes smiling up into his. 
 
 " And I mean to try to be like her in that, 
 papa," Lulu said with unwonted humility. 
 
 " I hope so : I have no fault to find with your 
 behavior of late," he returned kindly. 
 
 They passed into the house, and in the hall 
 met Christine and Alma. 
 
 "Ah! you have come, my good girls?" the 
 captain said to them with a pleased look. 
 " Jane," to the girl who had admitted them, 
 " show them to their rooms." 
 
 Christine had come to assume her duties as 
 housekeeper at Woodburn ; Alma was to make 
 her home there while still continuing to sew for 
 the families at Ion and Fairview an arrange 
 ment which suited the sisters admirably. 
 
 " Thanks, sir : it ees one grand place you haf 
 here," said Christine. " We shall be very 
 pleased to haf so nice a home." 
 
 "I hope it will prove a happy one to you 
 both," he returned kindly. Then, as they fol 
 lowed Jane to the rear of the mansion, 
 
 " Now, children," he said, " make haste with 
 your dressing."
 
 802 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "Yes, sir," they replied, hurrying up the 
 broad stairway with willing feet. 
 
 At its head they met Agnes, their mamma's 
 maid. 
 
 " I'se to help yo' dress, Miss Lu and Miss 
 Grade," she said. " Miss Wi'let tole me so, 
 and I'se laid out yo' things on yo' beds." 
 
 ' ' What things ? "What dress for me ? " asked 
 Lulu sharply. x 
 
 " De cream-colored cashmere, what Miss Wi'let 
 corrected me to." 
 
 Lulu laughed. " Directed, you mean, Agnes. 
 You may tie my sash when I'm ready. I can do 
 all the rest myself," she said, passing on into 
 her bedroom, while Grace skipped gayly into 
 hers. 
 
 " Mamma's very good to send you, Agnes," 
 she said ; " and you may please dress me as fast 
 as you can, 'cause papa told us to make haste." 
 
 Grace was a favorite with Agnes as with all 
 the servants at Ion. 
 
 "Ya'as, I'll dress yo' up fine, Miss Gracie, 
 and make yo' look putty as a pink," she said, 
 beginning her task. 
 
 "Lots ob folks comin' to-night, honey, and 
 grand doin's gwine on in de kitchen and de 
 dinm'-room. Dere's a long table sot out in de 
 bigges' dinin'-room, and heaps and heaps ob 
 splendiferous china dishes, wid fruits and flowahs 
 painted onto 'em, and silverware bright as de
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 303 
 
 sun, and glass dishes dat sparkle like Miss 
 Elsie's di'mon's ; and in de kitchen dey's cookin* 
 turkeys and chickens, and wild game ob warious 
 kinds, and oysters in warious styles; 'sides all 
 de pastry and cakes and fruits and ices, and 
 oh, I cayn't begin to tell yo' all de good things 
 the captain has perwided ! dere wasn't never 
 nuffin' grander at Ion or Wiamede or de Oaks, or 
 any ob de grand places belongin' to our fam'lies." 
 
 Grace was a highly interested listener. 
 
 "Oh," she said, "I want to see the table 
 when it's all set and the good things on it ! I 
 wonder if papa will let me eat any of them." 
 
 " Maybe," said Agnes ; " but you know, Miss 
 Grace, yo's sfckly, leastways, not bery strong, 
 and de doctah doan' let you eat rich things." 
 
 " No," returned the little gal, sighing slightly, 
 " but I do have a good many nice things ; and 
 I'd rather eat plain victuals than be weak and 
 sick. Wouldn't you, Agnes? " 
 
 " Yaas, I reckon. Dere, you's done finished, 
 Miss Gracie, and looks sweet as a rosebud." 
 
 " So she does," said Lulu, coming hurrying 
 in from her room, arrayed in her pretty cash 
 mere, and with a wide, rich sash- ribbon in her 
 hand. " Now, Agnes, if you will please tie my 
 sash, I'll be ' done finished ' too." 
 
 " O Lu ! " exclaimed Grace in loving admira 
 tion, "I'm sure you must look twice as sweet 
 and pretty as I do."
 
 804 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 Their father opened the door, and stepped in 
 just in time to hear her words, and, glancing 
 smilingly from one to the other, said, " To papa's 
 eyes, both his dear little girls look sweet and lov 
 able. Agnes, their appearance does you credit. 
 Now, my darlings, we will go down to tea, for 
 there is the bell." 
 
 " Have the folks come, papa? " asked Grace, 
 putting her hand into his. 
 
 " No, daughter : they will probably not begin 
 to come for an hour or so." 
 
 " Then, are we going to have two suppers? " 
 
 "Yes, one for ourselves the children espe 
 cially at the usual hour, and a later one for the 
 company. That last will be too late, and too 
 heavy, for your weak digestion." 
 
 " But not for Max's and mine, will it, papa? " 
 questioned Lulu. 
 
 "Yes, I fear so." 
 
 " But we are strong and healthy.'* 
 
 " And I wish to keep you so," he said pleas 
 antly ; "but you may rest assured that I shall 
 not deny you any enjoyment I think it safe to 
 grant you. Now sit down and be quiet till the 
 blessing has been asked," for they had reached 
 the dining-room, and found Violet and Max there 
 waiting for them. 
 
 Lulu had overheard a good deal of the glowing 
 account of the coming feast to which Agnes had 
 treated Grace, and, when at liberty to speak again,
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 305 
 
 asked, In a rather discontented tone, if she and 
 Max were not to have any share hi the good sup- 
 per being prepared for the expected guests. 
 
 Instead of answering directly, the captain 
 turned to his son, and asked, "Max, what do 
 you think of this supper? " 
 
 " It's good enough for a king, sir," returned 
 the lad heartily, glancing over the table as he 
 spoke, " the nicest of bread and butter, plenty 
 of rich milk and cream, canned peaches and 
 plums, and splendid gingerbread. Why, Lu, 
 what more could you' ask ? " 
 
 Lulu only blushed and hung her head in reply. 
 
 " I think it is a meal to be thankful for," re 
 marked Violet cheerily ; " but, my dear, you will 
 let them share in some of the lighter refreshments 
 provided for the guests, won't you? " 
 
 " Yes, I intend they shall," replied her hus 
 band. " Even Grade can, I think, eat some 
 ice-cream with safety." 
 
 " Thank you, papa : I'll be satisfied with that, 
 if you don't think it is best for me to have any 
 thing else," Lulu said, recovering her spirits. 
 
 They had scarcely left the table when the 
 guests began to arrive, those from Ion and Fair- 
 view coming first. 
 
 *' Mamma, dearest mamma! welcome, a thou 
 sand times welcome, to our home ! " exclaimed 
 Violet, embracing her mother with ardent affec 
 tion.
 
 806 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " I wish it were yours also, mother," the cap 
 tain said: "there could be no more welcome 
 inmate." 
 
 There were cordial, affectionate greetings for 
 each of the others also : then, when outdoor 
 garments had been laid aside, all were conducted 
 over the house, to be shown the improvementa 
 already made, and told of those still in contem 
 plation. 
 
 It was a great delight to Lulu and Grace to ex 
 hibit their pretty rooms to Evelyn and Rosie, and 
 xiear their expressions of surprise and admiration ; 
 and the pleasure was repeated several times, as 
 the little folks from the Laurels, the Oaks, and 
 the Pines arrived, and in succession went the 
 same round. 
 
 "I am pleased with all I have seen, Vi; but 
 this room is especially charming to me," grand 
 ma Elsie said, when Violet led her a second time 
 into the nursery, the rest of the Ion party having 
 passed on down to the parlors. " Baby should 
 be a merry, happy child, if pleasant, cheerful 
 surroundings can make her so." 
 
 " I trust she will, mamma," returned the young 
 mother, leading the way to the dainty crib where 
 the little one lay sweetly sleeping. 
 
 Elsie bent over the little form, gazing at the 
 sweet baby face with eyes brimful of motherly 
 love and tenderness. 
 
 *' The lovely, precious darling!" she muiv
 
 ELSIE'S KITH Alt 9 KIN. 307 
 
 mured softly. ' ' I am so rejciced, so thankful, 
 to see her looking almost herself again ! " 
 
 *'Aswe are," said Violet, in low, tremulous 
 tones. "Her father is extremely fond of her, 
 mamma, as he is of all his children. I think he 
 has no favorite among them, but loves each one 
 devotedly." 
 
 "As I do mine," Elsie responded, a bright, 
 sweet smile lighting up her face. " I love you, 
 my Vi, and all your brothers and sisters, very 
 dearly, each with a love differing somewhat in 
 kind from that given to the others, but not at all 
 in intensity." 
 
 They lingered a moment longer, watching the 
 young sleeper : then with a parting injunction to 
 the nurse to be very careful of her, not leaving 
 her alone for an instant, they went down-stairs 
 again, and rejoined the rest of the company. 
 
 Everybody had come, the last party of children 
 just descended from the inspection of the rooms 
 of Max and his sisters. 
 
 " Now, have we seen positively every thing?" 
 asked Rosie Travilla. 
 
 " Why, no ! " cried Max, as with sudden rec 
 ollection. Then hurrying to his father, who 
 was talking on the other side of the room to 
 Dr. Conly, and Mr. Horace Dinsmore of the 
 Oaks, he stood waiting respectfully for an oppor 
 tunity to speak. 
 
 The gentlemen paused in their couversatior
 
 808 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 and the captain asked, " What is it, my 
 son?" 
 
 ""We haven't shown the workroom or the 
 playroom, papa." 
 
 "Ah, sure enough! We must have them 
 lighted first. Send Scipio out to put a lamp in 
 each. Then the ladies' wraps will have to be 
 brought down, for they would be in danger of 
 taking cold going even that short distance with 
 out." 
 
 " I'll attend to it all, sir," Max rejoined with 
 cheerful alacrity, and hastened away to do so. 
 
 In a few minutes all was in readiness. 
 
 Max, announcing the fact to his father, and 
 the company in general, said dubiously, " I'm 
 afraid we can't go all at once : the rooms aren't 
 big enough to take in so many." 
 
 "So we will go in divisions," said Mr. Dins- 
 more. "There are thirty of us not counting 
 the Woodburn family proper : we will make five 
 divisions, six in each, in addition to the guide and 
 exhibiter. Does everybody consent? " 
 
 " Yes, yes," was heard on every side. 
 
 Then ensued a merry time forming the divis 
 ions, and deciding the order of precedence ; for 
 every one was in mirthful mood. 
 
 It was all settled at last. The visits of inspec 
 tion were made : everybody agreed in praising all 
 they saw, and congratulating Max and his sisters 
 on the good fortune that had befallen them.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 309 
 
 The rest of the evening passed off very pleas 
 antly. The feast was enjoyed, every dish being 
 pronounced a success: the Woodburn children 
 were satisfied with the share of it allowed them, 
 all the more, perhaps, that a like care was 
 exercised by the parents and guardians of the 
 other young folks in respect to their indulgence 
 of appetite. 
 
 Grace bade good-night, and went to her nest 
 at nine o'clock, a cheerful, happy child ; but, as 
 the party broke up at ten, Max and Lulu were 
 allowed to remain up to see them off . 
 
 Lulu had taken an early opportunity to give 
 the invitation for the next day to Evelyn, and it 
 was joy fully accepted, " uncle Lester " giving 
 ready permission. 
 
 " You'll come as soon as lessons are over at 
 Ion, won't you? " asked Lulu in parting. 
 
 " Yes, you may be sure I'll come the first 
 minute I can," Eva answered gayly. " I expect 
 to have a lovely time with you in those beautiful 
 rooms, and I've had a lovely time to-night. 
 Good -by," giving her friend a hearty embrace. 
 
 " Well, children," the captain said at break 
 fast the next morning, " remember, I expect 
 every one of you to be in the schoolroom at five 
 minutes before nine, and to begin studying ex 
 actly at the hour." 
 
 " Every thing to be done with naval precision, 
 I suppose," remarked Violet, giving him a
 
 810 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 half-saucy smile; "that being, I understand, 
 about on a par with military." 
 
 " Yes," he said, smiling in return, " that is 
 to be the rule in this house for every one but 
 my wife : she is to follow her own sweet will in 
 all things." 
 
 " Ah ! " she responded gayly, " I fear you do 
 not realize what a rash promise you are making ; 
 or, rather, how rash you are in according such a 
 privilege." 
 
 " It is hardly that," he answered : " acknowl 
 edging a right, would be my way of expressing 
 it." 
 
 They had left the table and the breakfast- 
 room, and were alone at the moment, the chil 
 dren having scattered to their work or play. 
 
 " How good you are to me, my dear hus 
 band ! " she said, looking up fondly into his face 
 as they stood together before the parlor fire. 
 
 " Not a whit better than I ought to be, my 
 darling," he responded, bending to kiss the 
 sweet, upturned face. " I have taken you from a 
 tender mother and a most luxurious home, and 
 it must be my care to see that you lose nothing 
 by the transplantation sweet and delicate 
 flower that you are ! " 
 
 " In my place, Zoe would call you an old flat 
 terer," she returned with a light laugh, but a 
 tell-tale moisture gathering in her eyes. 
 
 "And what do you call me, my Violet? " he
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 311 
 
 asked, putting his arm about her, and drawing 
 her close to his side. 
 
 " The kindest, best, dearest of husbands, the 
 noblest of men! " 
 
 " Ah, my dear ! who is the flatterer now? " he 
 laughed. "I'm afraid you and I might be ac 
 cused of forming a mutual admiration society." 
 
 "Well, what if we do? isn't it the very best 
 sort of a society for husband and wife to form ? 
 Levis, am I to have no duties in this house? none 
 of the cares and labors that the mistress of an 
 establishment is usually expected to assume?" 
 
 " You shall have no care of housekeeping that 
 I can save you from," he said. "I undertake 
 that, with Christine as my head assistant ; though 
 you, of course, are mistress, with the right to 
 give orders and directions whenever you will 
 to housekeeper, servants, children, even to your 
 husband if you see fit," he concluded with a 
 humorous look and smile. 
 
 " The idea of my ordering you whom I have 
 promised to obey," she returned merrily. "But 
 I'm afraid you are going to spoil me. Am I to 
 have nothing to do ? " 
 
 " You are to do exactly what you please," he 
 said: "the care and training of our little one, 
 aside from all the assistance to be had from ser 
 vants, will furnish you with no small amount of 
 employment." 
 
 " But you will help me with that? "
 
 312 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 ' ' Certainly, love ; I intend to be as good and 
 faithful a father to her as I know how to be : but 
 you are her mother, and will do a mother's part 
 by her, I know. Then, there are wifely duties 
 which you would not wish to delegate to any one 
 else." 
 
 " No, never! " she cried. " O my dear hus 
 band ! it is the greatest pleasure in life to do any 
 thing I can to add to your comfort and hap 
 piness." 
 
 " I know it, sweet wife. Ah ! " glancing at his 
 watch, " I must tear myself away now from your 
 dear society, and attend to the duties of em 
 ployer and teacher. I have some directions to 
 give both employ &s and children." 
 
 Grace ran and opened the schoolroom door at 
 the sound of her father's approaching footsteps. 
 
 " See, papa," she said, " we are all here, 
 waiting for you to come, and tell us what lessons 
 to learn." 
 
 "Yes, you are good, punctual children," he 
 replied, glancing at the prettj" little clock on the 
 mantel ; " for it still wants five minutes to nine." 
 
 " Papa, I know what lessons to learn, of 
 course," remarked Lulu; "but the others are 
 waiting for you to tell them." 
 
 "Yes. I shall examine Max first," the cap 
 tain said, seating himself at his writing-table. 
 *' Bring your books here, my son." 
 
 "Are you dreadfully frightened, Maxie? very
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 318 
 
 much afraid of your new teacher?" Lulu asked 
 laughingly as her brother obeyed the order. 
 
 "I don't expect to faint with fright," he re 
 turned; "for I've a notion he's pretty fond of 
 me." 
 
 "Of you and of all his pupils," the captain 
 said. " Lulu, you may take out your books, and 
 begin to study." 
 
 When the tasks had been assigned to each, 
 " Now, children," he said, " I am going to leave 
 you for a while. I can do so without fear that 
 you will take advantage of my absence to idle 
 away your time ; for I know that you are honor 
 able and trustworthy, also obedient. I have sel 
 dom known any one of you to disobey an order 
 from me." 
 
 " Thank you, papa," Max said, answering for 
 both himself and sisters, and coloring with 
 pleasure as he spoke. "We'll try to deserve 
 your praise and your confidence. But are we to 
 consider ourselves forbidden to speak at all to 
 each other while you are gone ? ' ' 
 
 "No, not entirely; but do not engage in 
 unnecessarj- talk, to the neglect of your studies." 
 
 So saying, he went out and left them. 
 
 Returning exactly at the expiration of the first 
 hour for study, he found them all busily at work. 
 
 He commended their industry, and gave per 
 mission for five minutes' rest. 
 
 They were prompt to avail themselves of it,
 
 814 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 and gathered about him full of gleeful chat, the 
 girls seating themselves one on each knee, Max 
 standing close at his side. 
 
 School was a decided success that day, and 
 neither teacher nor pupils saw any reason to 
 regret the establishment of the new order of 
 things. 
 
 Evelyn came soon after they were dismissed, 
 spent the afternoon and evening, and, when she 
 left, averred that it had been the most delightful 
 visit she had ever paid.
 
 CHAPTER XXH. 
 
 LIFE AT WOODBURN. 
 
 LULU'S temper was not conquered, but she was 
 more successful than formerly in combating it. 
 The terrible lesson she had had in the injury to 
 her baby sister, consequent upon her outburst of 
 passion, could not easily be forgotten : the bitter 
 recollection was often a great restraint upon her, 
 and her father's loving watchfulness saved her 
 many a time, when, without it, she would have 
 fallen ; he kept her with him almost constantly 
 when at home, and he was rarely absent, 
 scarcely allowed her to go anywhere off the es 
 tate without him, and seemed never for a moment 
 to forget her and her special temptation : the 
 slightest elevation in the tones of her voice was 
 sure to catch his ear ; and a warning look gener 
 ally proved sufficient to put her on her guard, and 
 check the rising storm of anger. 
 
 There were several reasons why it was as 
 she often asserted easier to be good with him 
 than with Mr. Dinsmore : he was more patient 
 and sympathizing, less ready to speak with stern 
 
 315
 
 316 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 authority, though he could be stern enough when 
 he deemed it necessary. Besides, he was her 
 father, whom she greatly reverenced and dearly 
 loved, and who had, as she expressed it, a right 
 to rule her and to punish her when she deserved 
 it. 
 
 One morning, after several very happy weeks 
 at Woodburn, the quiet of the schoolroom, which 
 had been profound for many minutes, was broken 
 by a slight exclamation of impatience from Lulu. 
 
 Her father, glancing up from the letter he was 
 writing, saw an ominous frown on her brow, as 
 she bent over her slate, setting down figures upon 
 it, and quickly erasing them again, with a sort 
 of feverish haste, shrugging her shoulders fret 
 fully, and pushing her arithmetic peevishly aside 
 with the free hand. 
 
 " Lulu, my daughter," he said, in a quiet tone, 
 " put on your hat and coat, and take a five-min 
 utes' run on the driveway." 
 
 "Just now, papa?" she asked, looking up in 
 surprise. 
 
 " Yes, just now. When you think you have 
 been out the specified number of minutes, you 
 may come back ; but I shall not find fault with 
 you if you are not quite punctual, as you will not 
 have a timepiece with you." 
 
 "Thank you, sir," she said, obeying with 
 alacrity. 
 
 She came in again presently, with cheeks glow
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 317 
 
 fag and eyes sparkling, not a cloud on her 
 brow. 
 
 "Ah! I see you feel better," her father re 
 marked, smiling kindly upon her; "and I have 
 finished my letter, so have time to talk with you. 
 Max and Gracie, you may take your turn at a 
 run in the fresh air now." 
 
 Donning their outdoor garments, while Lulu 
 took hers off, and put them in their proper place, 
 they hurried away. 
 
 " Bring your slate and book here, daughter," 
 was the next order, in the kindest of tones, " and 
 let me see what was troubling you so." 
 
 "It's these vulgar fractions, papa," she said, 
 giving herself an impatient shake. "I don't 
 wonder they call them vulgar, for they're so 
 hateful ! I can't understand the rule, and I 
 can't get the examples right. I wish you 
 wouldn't make me learn them." 
 
 " Daughter, daughter ! " he said, in grave, re 
 proving accents, "don't give way to an impa 
 tient temper. It will only make matters worse." 
 
 " But, papa," she said, bringing the book and 
 slate as directed, " won't you please let me skip 
 these vulgar fractions? " 
 
 "I thought," he said, " that my Lulu was a 
 brave, persevering little girl, not ready to be 
 overcome by a slight difficulty." 
 
 " Oh ! but it isn't a slight one, papa : if %ig 
 and hard," she pleaded.
 
 318 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " I will go over the rule with you, and try to 
 make it clear," he returned, still speaking in a 
 pleasant tone ; ' ' and then we will see what we 
 can do with these troublesome examples." 
 
 She sighed almost hopelessly, but gave her at 
 tention fully to his explanation, and presently 
 cried out joyfully, " Oh, I do understand it now, 
 papa ! and I believe 1 can get the sums right." 
 
 " I think you can," he said. " Stand here by 
 my side, and let me see you try." 
 
 She succeeded, and was full of joy. 
 
 " There is nothing like trying, my little girl," 
 he said, smiling at her exultation and delight. 
 
 She came to him again after lessons were 
 done, and Max and Grace had left the room once 
 more. 
 
 "May I talk a little to you, papa?" she 
 asked. 
 
 "Yes, more than a little, if you wish," he 
 replied, laying aside the book he had taken up. 
 "What is it?" 
 
 " Papa, I want to thank you for sending me 
 out to take that run, and then helping me so 
 nicely and kindly with my arithmetic." 
 
 "You are very welcome, my darling," he said, 
 drawing her to a seat upon his knee. 
 
 " If you hadn't done it, papa, or if you had 
 spoken sternly to me, as grandpa Dinsmore 
 would have done in your place, I'd have been m 
 a great passion in a minute. I was feeling like
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 319 
 
 Just picking up my slate, and dashing it to pieces 
 against the corner of the desk." 
 
 " How grieved I should have been had you 
 done so ! " he said ; " very, very sorry for your 
 wrong-doing, and that I should have to keep my 
 word in regard to the punishment to be meted 
 out for such conduct." 
 
 "Yes, papa," she murmured, hanging her 
 head, and blushing deeply. 
 
 " Would breaking the slate have helped you?" 
 he asked with grave seriousness. 
 
 "Oh, no, papa! you cannot suppose I'm so 
 foolish as to think it would." 
 
 "Was it the fault of the slate that you had 
 such difficulty with your examples? " 
 
 "Why, no, papa, of course not." 
 
 " Then, was it not extremely foolish, as well 
 as wrong, to want to break it just because of 
 your want of success with your ciphering? " 
 
 "Yes, sir," she reluctantly admitted. 
 
 He went on, " Anger is great folly. The 
 Bible says, ' Be not hasty in thy spirit to be 
 angry ; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.' 
 It seems to be the sort of foolishness that, more 
 than any other, is bound in the heart of this 
 child of mine. It seems, too, that nothing but 
 the rod of correction ' will drive it out." 
 
 She gave him a frightened look. 
 
 " No," he said, "you need not be alarmed: 
 as you did not indulge your passionate impulse f 
 I have no punishment to inflict.
 
 320 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 *' My dear, dear child, try, try to conquer the 
 propensity 1 Watch and pray against this beset 
 ting sin." 
 
 " I will, papa," she murmured with a half de 
 spairing sigh. , 
 
 Some weeks later it was on an afternoon 
 early in December Lulu and Grace were in 
 their own little sitting-room, busied in the manu 
 facture of some small gifts for " papa and 
 Maxie," who were, of course, to be kept in pro 
 found ignorance on the subject till the time for 
 presentation ; therefore, the young workers sat 
 with locked doors ; and when presently Maxie' s 
 boyish footsteps were heard rapidly approaching, 
 their materials were hastily gathered up, thrust 
 into a closet close at hand, and the key turned 
 upon them. Then Lulu ran and opened the door. 
 
 " Hollo ! " cried Max, in a perfectly good- 
 humored tone, "what do you lock a fellow out 
 for? It looks as if you're up to some mis 
 chief. I just came to tell you there's company 
 in the parlor, and they've asked for you, both 
 of you." 
 
 " Who are they? " asked Lulu, glancing at her 
 reflection in a pier-glass opposite, to make sure 
 that dress and hair were in order. 
 
 She was neat and orderly by nature, and her 
 father very particular about the appearance of 
 his children ; not caring to have them expensively 
 attired, but always neat and tidy.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 321 
 
 "The Oaks young folks," replied Max, 
 " Horace and Frank and their two sisters, Maud 
 and Sydney." 
 
 "Come, Grade," said Lulu, turning to her 
 little sister: "we both look nice, and we'll go 
 right down." 
 
 The children all felt rathered flattered by the 
 call, because the Oaks young people were older 
 than themselves. Horace, Frank, and Maud were 
 all older than Max, and Sydney was between 
 him and Lulu in age. 
 
 With the Dinsmore girls, the Raymonds were 
 quite well acquainted, having seen them fre 
 quently at Ion, and sometimes met them else 
 where ; but the boys, who had been away at 
 school, were comparative strangers. 
 
 Violet was in the parlor chatting pleasantly 
 with her young cousins, the call being intended 
 for her also ; and her cheerful presence set her 
 little step-daughters more at their ease than they 
 would otherwise have been. 
 
 They had not been long in the room ere they 
 learned that the special object of the visit was to 
 invite them and Max to the Oaks, to spend the 
 greater part of Christmas week. 
 
 "It is to be a young people's party, you must 
 all understand," said Maud, who seemed to be 
 the chief speaker, "and so the captain and cousin 
 Vi are not invited : not that cousin Vi is not 
 young, you know, for she is that ; but there are 
 to be no married folks asked-
 
 322 LSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " There is to be the usual Christmas-eve party 
 at Ion for all the family connection, Christmas- 
 tree and all that, and the grand dinner-party on 
 Christmas Day ; then all the boys and girls of 
 the connection are invited to the Oaks to stay 
 till the next Saturday evening. 
 
 " We hope, cousin Vi, that Max and his sisters 
 may come? " 
 
 "If it depended upon me," returned Violet 
 pleasantly, "I presume I should say yes; but 
 of course it will have to be as their father says." 
 
 " Oh, yes ! certainly. Is he in ? " 
 
 " No, and I fear he will not be for an hour or 
 two ; but if you will stay to tea, you will be 
 pretty sure to see him." 
 
 The invitation was declined with thanks ; 
 " they had other calls to make, and must be 
 going presently : " but they sat for some minutes 
 longer, the whole four joining in an animated 
 description of various diversions planned for the 
 entertainment of their expected guests, and re 
 peating again and again that they hoped Max 
 and his sisters would be permitted to come. 
 
 " I do wish papa may let us go ! " cried Lulu, 
 the moment the visitors had departed. " I'm 
 sure it will be perfectly delightful ! " 
 
 " So do I," said Max. " Mamma Vi, do you 
 think papa will consent? " 
 
 " I really cannot say, Max," she answered 
 doubtfully. " Do you want to go, too, Gracie? "
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 323 
 
 drawing the child to her side, and softly smooth- 
 ing her hair. 
 
 "Yes, mamma, if if I could have you or 
 papa there with me. I don't want to go very 
 much 'less one of you goes too." 
 
 " And you are such a delicate little darling, 
 that I hardly think your papa will feel willing to 
 have you go, without either of us along to take 
 care of you." 
 
 " I can take perfectly good care of Gracie, 
 mamma Vi," asserted Lulu with dignity. 
 
 " Here comes papa," cried Max, as a step 
 was heard in the hall. 
 
 Then the door opened, and the captain came in. 
 
 " "We've had an invitation, papa, and hope 
 you will let us accept it," Max said, coming 
 eagerly forward. 
 
 "0 papa! please, please do!" cried Lulu, 
 running to him, and taking hold of his hand. 
 
 " Let me hear about it," he said, sitting down, 
 and allowing Lulu to take possession of one 
 knee, Gracie of the other ; " but speak one at a 
 time. Max, you are the eldest : we will let you 
 have the first turn." 
 
 Violet sat quietly listening, and watching her 
 husband's face, while the eager children told 
 their tale, and expressed their wishes. 
 
 He looked grave and thoughtful ; and before 
 he spoke, she had a tolerably correct idea what 
 he was about to say.
 
 824 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 "I am glad my little Gracie does not care 
 to go," he said, caressing the child as he spoke, 
 " because she is too feeble and too young to be so 
 long among comparative strangers, without papa 
 or mamma to take care of her. I am sorry Lulu 
 does want to accept the invitation, as there is an 
 insuperable objection to letting her do so." 
 
 Lulu's countenance had assumed an expression 
 of woful disappointment not unmingled with 
 anger and wilfulness. 
 
 " I want to go, papa, and I do think you might 
 let me," she said with an ominous frown. " I'm 
 not sickly, and I' a good deal older than 
 Gracie." 
 
 "You cannot go, Lucilla," he said gravely, 
 and with some sternness of tone. " Max," in 
 answer to the eagerly questioning look in the 
 lad's eyes, " if you are particularly desirous to 
 go, you have my permission." 
 
 " Thank you, sir," said the boy heartily. 
 
 " Papa, why can't I go? '' grumbled Lulu. 
 
 "I think a moment's reflection will tell you 
 why," he answered. " I will talk with you 
 about it ,at another time. And now not another 
 word on the subject till I mention it to you first." 
 
 Lulu was silenced for the time ; but after tea, 
 going into the library, and finding her father 
 sitting there alone, she went up to him, and in her 
 most coaxing tones said, "O papa' won't you 
 please let me go? I'll be "
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 825 
 
 "Lulu," he interrupted sternly, "go immedi 
 ately to your room and your bed." 
 
 " Papa, it isn't my bedtime for two hours 
 yet," she said, in a half pleading tone, " and I 
 want to read this new ' Companion ' that has just 
 come." 
 
 " Don't let me have to repeat my order," was 
 the stern rejoinder; and she obeyed, trembling 
 and in haste. 
 
 She felt sorely disappointed, angry, and rebel 
 lious ; but, as her father had said, a few mo 
 ments' reflection showed her the reason of his 
 refusal to allow her to accept the invitation to 
 the Oaks : and, as she glanced round her rooms 
 at the many pretty things his indulgent kindness 
 had supplied, her anger changed to penitence 
 and love. 
 
 " Of course, papa was right," she sighed to 
 herself, as she moved about, getting read}- for 
 bed ; " and it wasn't because he doesn't love to 
 see me happy ; and I wish, oh, how I wish, I'd 
 been good about it ! " 
 
 She was not at all drowsy ; and it seemed a 
 long, long time that she had been lying there 
 awake, when at last she heard her father's step 
 in the hall : then he opened the door, and came 
 in. 
 
 He had a lighted lamp in his hand. He set it 
 on the mantel, and drew near the bed. 
 
 ** You are awake, I see," he said.
 
 326 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " Yes, papa ; and I'm sorry I was naughty.'* 
 
 ' ' You understand why I sent you to bed ? and 
 why I refused to grant your request? " 
 
 "Yes, sir; you can't trust me to pay that 
 visit, because of my bad temper ; and you sent 
 me to bed for disobeying you, by asking again, 
 after you had told me to say no more about 
 it." 
 
 ' ' Yes : you must learn to be more obedient, 
 less wilful. Did you obey me about going im 
 mediately to bed?" he asked, drawing up a 
 chair, and seating himself close beside her." 
 
 "Yes, papa, just as quickly as I could get 
 ready." 
 
 " I hope you did not neglect to kneel down 
 and ask forgiveness of God ? " he said inquir 
 ingly, in a gentle, tender tone, bending over her, 
 and smoothing her hair as he spoke. "You do 
 not need to be told, that, when you are rebellious 
 and disobedient to your earthly father, you are 
 so toward your heavenly Father also ; because 
 he bids you ' honor thy father and thy mother. ' ' 
 
 "Yes, papa, I know; I did ask him; and 
 won't you forgive me too? " 
 
 "Yes," he said, giving her a kiss. "I am 
 sorry to have to deprive you of the pleasure of 
 accepting that invitation, but I cannot yet trust 
 you anywhere away from me ; and it was to 
 spare your feelings that I did not state my rea 
 son before your mamma and brother and sister.''
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 327 
 
 " Oh ! I'm sorry I was naughty about it, papa," 
 ihe said, again putting her hand into his. 
 
 He held it in a kindly pressure, while he went 
 tn talking to her. 
 
 " I intend you shall go to Ion to the Christmas- 
 ,*ve party, and the dinner-party the next day, as 
 i. shall be there too." 
 
 " Thank you, dear papa : I'd like to go ever so 
 much, but I don't deserve to," she said humbly, 
 "or to have any Christmas gifts. If I were 
 you, and had such a bad child, I wouldn't give 
 her a single thing." 
 
 "I hope she is going to be a better girl, in 
 future," he said, kissing her good-night. 
 
 It was a joyful surprise to Lulu when, at the 
 breakfast - table the next morning, her father 
 said, " Children, your mamma and I are going 
 to drive into the city, and will take you all along : 
 and, as I suppose you would like to do some 
 Christmas shopping, I shall advance your next 
 week's allowance, perhaps furnish something 
 over," he added, with a kindly smile. 
 
 All three young faces had grown very bright, 
 and there was a chorus of thanks. 
 
 " We expect to start in a few minutes after 
 prayers," the captain went on, "and so there 
 will be no school to-day." 
 
 "We like school, papa," said Grace. "J 
 never liked it half so well before." 
 
 44 Nor I." " Nor I." cried the other two,
 
 328 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 " But you are glad of a holiday once in a 
 while, nevertheless?" their father said, with a 
 pleased look. 
 
 " Oh, yes, indeed, papa! 'specially when it Ls 
 to go somewhere with you," replied Grace ; and 
 again the others gave a hearty assent. 
 
 When family worship was over, the captain 
 handed a little roll of bank-notes to each, saying, 
 " Now rmx away, and get yourselves ready for 
 your rid. Put on your warmest clothing, for 
 the wind is sharp." 
 
 They hurried out into the hall ; then Lulu hes 
 itated, turned about, and ran back. 
 
 "Papn," she said, rushing up to him, where 
 he sat beside a table, with some papers before 
 him, and throwing her arm round his neck, 
 " dear papa ! you are just too good and kind to 
 me i Oh, I don't mean to be disobedient, wilful, 
 or passionate ever again ! ' ' 
 
 " I am rejoiced to hear you say that, my dear 
 little c^ughter," he replied, putting his arm round 
 her, tagging her close, and kissing her tenderly ; 
 " anil I do not think I shall ever regret any thing 
 I hat e done for you or either of the others. It 
 is, tc me, the greatest pleasure in life to do what 
 ever 1 can to make my children happy." 
 
 " 1 am so, so sorry I was naughty and disobe* 
 die>rt last night," she murmured, laying her cheek 
 tot*. 
 
 "Dear child," he said, " it is fully and freely 
 forgiven. Now run up to your room nd dress."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 329 
 
 Grace called to Lulu as she came up the stairs, 
 " O Lu ! come in here a minute, into my room. 
 Look, look, on the bed ! see how many papa 
 has given me, ten nice new one dollars." 
 
 Lulu counted them as they lay spread out in a 
 row. 
 
 "Yes, ten," she said. " Gracie ! isn't it 
 nice ? isn't papa kind ? ' ' 
 
 " 'Course he is ; kindest man ever was made," 
 said Grace. " Now see how many you have." 
 
 Lulu hastily spread out her roll, and counted 
 the bills. " Nine ones, and one two," she an 
 nounced. 
 
 " Just as many as mine," said Grace; " and 
 I've got this besides," holding up a bright new 
 silver half-dollar. ' ' So mine's the most this time, 
 isn't it?" 
 
 "No, because one of my bills counts two: 
 that makes mine fifty cents the most. Papa has 
 given us each ten dollars besides our regular 
 allowance."
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 " At Christmas play, and make good cheer, 
 For Christmas comes but once a year." 
 
 TUSSER, 
 
 THE morning of the twenty-fourth found Grace 
 almost too ill, with a heavy cold, to be out of 
 bed ; and it was quite evident that she would 
 not be able to go to the Christmas-eve party at 
 Ion, or the dinner on Christmas Day. 
 
 The captain was just finishing his morning 
 toilet when Lulu knocked at his dressing-room 
 door. She had come with the news of Grace's 
 illness, and he followed her at once to the bed 
 side of the sick child. 
 
 " My poor darling," he said, bending over her 
 in tender concern, " you seem quite feverish. 1 
 think you must stay in bed, and we will send for 
 your doctor." 
 
 " And can't I go to-night, papa? " she asked, 
 the tears starting to her eyes. 
 
 " I'm afraid not, darling ; but don't fret ; papa 
 will try to find some way to make it up to you." 
 
 " I'll stay with her, papa, and read her stories, 
 and do every thing I can to help her enjoy her 
 self," cried Lulu eagerly. " I may, mayn't I?' 
 HO
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 331 
 
 "You may, if you choose," he said ; " but I 
 thought you were very anxious to go." 
 
 "I was, but I'm not now," she said. "I'd 
 rather stay with Grade., I shouldn't be one bit 
 happy there without her." 
 
 "0 Lu ! I'd love to have you! but I don't 
 want you to lose all that fun just for me," Grace 
 said, with a wistful, loving look into her sister's 
 eyes. 
 
 " It wouldn't be fun without you, my Gracie," 
 was the quick rejoinder. 
 
 " I am glad indeed that my little daughters 
 love each other so dearly," the captain said, kiss 
 ing fii'st one and then the other. " "Well, we 
 will see what can be done. If it were not for 
 the disappointment to your mamma, I should 
 stay at home with you, my darlings ; as it is, 
 f shall spend at least a part of the evening with 
 you." 
 
 He left them, and sought Violet in her dressing- 
 room. 
 
 "My dear, what has happened? I am sure 
 you look anxious and troubled ! " she exclaimed, 
 the instant she caught sight of his face. 
 
 " I confess that I am a little troubled about 
 Gracie," he replied: " she seems to have taken 
 a very heavy cold. I shall send at once for the 
 doctor. And, of course, she has to be disap 
 pointed in her expectations for this evening." 
 
 " Then, let us all stay at home," returned Vk>
 
 382 fLSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 let promptly. " I could not enjoy myself, leav 
 ing the poor darling at home, sick. Besides,'* 
 glancing from the window, ' ' do you see ? it is 
 snowing fast, and I should not like to expose 
 baby to the storm. So I propose that we change 
 our plans entirely, and have a private Christ 
 mas of our own," she went on in a lively tone. 
 " What do you say to it, my dear? " 
 
 They discussed the idea for some minutes, 
 presently growing quite enthusiastic over it. 
 
 Their plans were nearly matured when the 
 breakfast-bell rang ; and, shortly after leaving the 
 table, they began carrying them out. 
 
 Max was taken into their confidence, and al 
 lowed to assist ; and a proud and happy boy was 
 he, going about with an air of mystery, as one 
 to whom secret and important business is in 
 trusted. 
 
 The little girls, shut up in their own apart 
 ments, Grace reclining on a couch, Lulu with 
 her as constant companion, and making every ex 
 ertion for her entertainment, while papa, mamma, 
 and Maxie came running in now and then to ask 
 how she was, knew nothing of messages sent 
 back and forth through the telephone, of pack 
 ages of various shapes and sizes brought into 
 the house, of mysterious goings and comings, 
 and much time spent by papa, mamma, Maxie, 
 Christine, and others in a certain large room, 
 hitherto but little used.
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 333 
 
 Grace frequently fell asleep : then Lulu would 
 darken the room, go into the adjoining one, leav 
 ing the door ajar, so that she could hear the 
 slightest movement her little sick sister might 
 make on waking, and amuse herself with a book 
 or her own thoughts. 
 
 Their meals were brought to them, and set out 
 in their sitting-room upon a little round table, 
 covered with a snowy damask cloth, whereon 
 were arranged a set of dainty china dishes of a 
 size just suited to the occasion, and toothsome 
 viands such as " papa " deemed they might eat 
 and enjoy without danger to health. 
 
 It was very nice, they thought ; almost nicer, 
 just for a change, than going to the larger table 
 down-stairs with the rest of the family. 
 
 Soon after they had had their supper, their 
 father came in, bringing the doctor with him, for 
 his second visit that day. 
 
 "Ah! she is a good deal better," Dr. Conly 
 said, when he had examined his little patient. 
 " Hardly well enough yet to go to Ion," he 
 added with a humorous look and smile ; " but I 
 think, if well wrapped up, she may venture a trip 
 down-stairs in papa's arms, and even stay a little 
 while, if she fiuds the change to the parlor a 
 pleasant one." 
 
 " Should you like it, papa's dear pet? " the 
 captain asked, leaning over her. 
 
 *' Yes, sir, if you and my doctor think it will
 
 834 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 be good for me," was the reply, in a submissive 
 and rather languid tone, " and if my Lulu is to 
 come too," she added, with a loving look at her 
 sister. 
 
 " Oh, yes, indeed ! we would not think of going 
 without Lulu! " their father said, smiling affec 
 tionately upon her also. 
 
 So a large shawl was brought, and carefully 
 wrapped about Gracie's little slender figure ; and 
 she made the short journey in her father's strong 
 arms, the doctor and Lulu going on before, hand 
 in hand, chatting and laughing merrily. 
 
 Max heard them, and threw open the parlor- 
 door just as they reached it. 
 
 Then what a surprise for the little girls ! A 
 large, handsome Christmas-tree, loaded with 
 beautiful things, burst upon their astonished 
 sight, and was greeted by them with exclama 
 tions of wonder and delight. 
 
 " Oh ! oh ! oh ! it's the very prettiest Christ 
 mas-tree we ever saw ! And we didn't know we 
 were to have any at all ! And how many, many 
 lovely things are on it ! Papa, papa, how good 
 and kind you are to us ! " 
 
 He looked as if he enjoyed their surprise and 
 delight quite as much as they did the tree. 
 
 " Other folks have been kind to you, too, my 
 darlings," he said, seating himself, with Gracie 
 still in his arms, " as you will see presently, when 
 the gifts are distributed."
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 335 
 
 " Who, papa ? " asked Oracle, laying her head 
 on his shoulder, and gazing with delighted eyes, 
 beginning to single out one beautiful object from 
 another as she sent her glances up and down, 
 here and there. 
 
 "Grandma Elsie, and everybody else in the 
 Ion family, I believe ; the Oaks and Laurels and 
 Fairview friends ; and Roselands people too ; to 
 say nothing of mamma and Maxie." 
 
 " They're ever so good and kind ! they always 
 are," she said in grateful tones. "Oh!" for 
 the first time perceiving that Violet stood near 
 her with the baby in her arms, " mamma and 
 baby too ! and how pleased baby looks at the 
 tree ! " for the little one was stretching her arms 
 toward it, and cooing and smiling, her pretty blue 
 eyes shining with delight. 
 
 When all, children and servants, for the lat 
 ter had been called in to enjoy the sight also, 
 had looked to their full, the gifts were dis 
 tributed. 
 
 Thej 7 were very numerous, nearly everybody 
 having given to nearly everybody else, and 
 many of those received by the parents and chil 
 dren were very handsome. But their father's 
 gift a tiny watch to each, to help them to be 
 punctual with all their duties, he said was 
 what gave the greatest amount of pleasure to 
 Lulu and Grace. 
 
 Both they and their brother went to bed that
 
 836 ELSIE "S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 night, and woke the next morning, very happy 
 children. 
 
 The weather being still too severe for the little 
 ones to be taken out, the captain and Violet went 
 to Ion only for a call, and returned early in the 
 day, bringing a portion of the party that usually 
 gathered there, to dine with them at Woodburn. 
 
 Among these, to Lulu's extreme satisfaction, 
 was Evelyn. She staid till after tea ; and all 
 the afternoon, there was much passing to and fro 
 of the different members of the large family con 
 nection. 
 
 Evelyn was to be at the Oaks for the next 
 few days, with the other young people, and re 
 gretted greatl}' that Lulu was not to go too. 
 
 But Lulu's rebellious feeling about it was a 
 thing of the past. She told Evelyn frankly her 
 father's reason for refusing his consent, adding 
 that she felt that he was right, and that he was 
 so dear, so kind and indulgent in every thing 
 that he thought best to allow, that she was now 
 entirely satisfied to stay at home ; particularly as 
 Grade was not well, and needed her nursing. 
 
 Grace went early to bed and to sleep. Max 
 and Evelyn had gone to the Oaks : there were 
 Only grown people in the parlors now ; and Lulu 
 did not care to be there, even if she had not 
 wanted to be near her sleeping sister. 
 
 There was an open, glowing fire in their little 
 sitting-room, a high fender of polished brass
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 337 
 
 obviating all danger from it to the children's 
 skirts. Lulu seated herself in an easy-chair be 
 side it, and fell into a reverie, unusually deep and 
 prolonged for her. 
 
 She called to mind all the Christmases she 
 could remember, not very many, the last two 
 spent very pleasantly with her new mamma's 
 relatives ; the two previous ones passed not 
 half so agreeably, in the poor apology for a home 
 that had been hers and Grade's before their 
 father's second marriage. 
 
 But what a change for the better that had 
 brought ! What forlorn little things she and 
 Gracie were then ! and what favored children 
 now ! What a sweet, sweet home of their very 
 own, with their father in it ! as she had said to 
 Eva that afternoon, "such a dear, kind father; 
 interested in every thing that concerned his chil 
 dren ; so thoughtful about providing pleasures 
 for them, as well as needful food, shelter, and 
 clothing ; about their health, too, and the im 
 provement of their minds ; reading with them, 
 even in other than school-hours ; talking with 
 them of what they read, and explaining so clearly 
 and patiently any thing they did not quite under* 
 stand ; but, above all, striving to lead them to 
 Christ, and train them for his service in this 
 world and the next." 
 
 He had read with them that morning the story 
 of our Saviour's birth, and spoken feelingly to
 
 S38 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 
 them of God's wonderful love shown in the " un 
 speakable gift " of his dear Son. 
 
 " Certainly, there could not be in all the world 
 a better, dearer father, than theirs. How strange 
 that she could ever grieve him by being naughty, 
 rebellious, passiomate ! Oh, if she could only be 
 good ! alwa} r s a comfort and blessing to him ! 
 she would try, she would, with all her might ! " 
 
 Just then the door opened softly ; and he came 
 in, came noiselessly to her side, lifted her in his. 
 arms, and sat down with her on his knee. 
 
 " What has my little girl been thinking of 
 sitting here all by herself? " he asked, pressing 
 his lips to her cheek. 
 
 She told him in a few words, finishing with her 
 kmging desire to be to him a better child, a com- 
 p ort and blessing. 
 
 ''Indeed I ought to be, papa," she said ; " and 
 you are such a dear, kind father ! you have given 
 me and all of us such a lovely home, and 
 such a hapjjy, happy Christmas, the very hap 
 piest we have ever known ! " 
 
 "And it is God our heavenly Father who has 
 put it in in}- power to do all that I have done for 
 you, and for all my darlings," he said with emo 
 tion, drawing her closer, and holding her tenderly 
 to his heart ; " and, O my dear child ! if I could 
 know that you had begun this day to truly love 
 and serve him, it would be to me the happiest 
 Christmas that /have ever known."
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 JBL1 
 
 Form L9-25m-9,'47(A5618)444
 
 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 AA 000033293 2 
 
 PS 
 
 1672 
 
 F5k