CHAPTER XIX.
"Train up a child in the way he should go."--PROV. 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 wayto 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 thangratifying 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 itwill make too many, papa."
"I suppose it would add greatly to your enjoyment to have her with you,"he said reflectively. "Yes, you may ask her; or I will do so, early inthe morning, through the telephone, if the weather is such that we cango."
"Thank you, you dear papa." she said, giving him a hug and kiss. "Iought to be a very good girl, for you are always so kind to me."
She was up betimes the next morning, eagerly scanning the sky, which, toher great delight, gave every indication of fair weather for the day.
She hastened to array herself in suitable attire for her trip to thecity,--having consulted grandma Elsie on the subject the nightbefore,--and had just finished when she heard her father's step in thehall.
She ran to open the door.
"Good-morning, little daughter," he said with a smile, and stooping togive her a caress. "I have just been to the telephone. Evelyn will gowith us, and I trust you will both enjoy your day."
"Oh, I know I shall!" she cried: "it will be just delightful! Are we allto 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!" Therewas 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, "Idon't deserve it."
"I intend to give you one as soon as you have learned to have patienceunder provocation, so that I shall be able to trust you to treat himkindly," he said. "How soon do you think that will be?"
"I don't know, papa. It will be a good while before I can feel at allsure of myself," she answered humbly.
"I hope it will," he said; then, as she looked up in surprise, "Theapostle says, 'When I am weak, then am I strong.' When we feel our ownweakness, and look to God for help, then we are strong with a strengthfar greater than our own; but when we grow self-confident, and trust inour own strength, we are very apt to find it but weakness.
"And now I must caution you to be on your guard to-day against anyexhibition of self-will and ill temper, if your wishes are overruled bythose older and wiser than yourself."
"Why, papa, am I not to be allowed to choose the things for my ownrooms?" she asked, in a tone of deep disappointment.
"I intend that your taste shall be consulted, my child," he said; "but Icannot promise that you shall have, in every case, exactly what you mostprefer. You might select carpets, curtains, and upholstery of materialand colors that would wear poorly, or fade very soon. Therefore we musttake grandma Elsie into our counsels, and get her help in deciding whatto take; for I am sure you would like neither to have your roomsdisfigured with faded, worn-out furnishings, or to put your father tothe expense of refurnishing for you very soon."
"Oh, no, papa! No, indeed," she said.
"Besides," he went on, "don't you wish to consult _my_ taste too? Wouldyou 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 tohave them look pretty to myself," she answered, with a look of eagerdelight, 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 afterthe meal is over." He rose, and took her hand in his, to lead her downto 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 sayingsternly, as you might have done, 'Now, Lulu, if you are naughty aboutthe choice of things for furnishing your rooms, you sha'n't have anything pretty for them, and when we get home I'll punish you severely!'"
"Certainly, I might have done that, and probably with the effect ofsecuring your good behavior," he said; "but I think neither of us wouldhave felt quite so happy as we do now."
"I am sure I should not," she said, lifting his hand to her lips.
That little talk had a most happy effect upon Lulu, so that throughoutthe entire day she showed herself as docile and amiable as any one couldhave desired.
Her father, on his part, was extremely indulgent toward all three of hischildren, in every case in which he felt that it was right and wise tobe so, sparing no reasonable expense to gratify their tastes and wishes.But in several matters they yielded readily to his or grandma Elsie'sbetter judgment; indeed, always, when asked to do so, seeming, too, wellsatisfied with the final decision.
They returned home, a very happy set of children, except, in Lulu'scase, when memory recalled the passionate outburst of the early part ofthe week with its dire consequences: that remembrance would be a sorespot in her heart, and a bitter humiliation, for many a day, probablyfor the rest of her life.
Rosie was on the veranda awaiting their arrival.
"Well, have you had a good time, and bought great quantities of prettythings?" she asked, addressing the company in general.
It was Zoe who answered first.
"Yes: if these young Raymonds are not satisfied with the furnishing oftheir apartments, I, for one, shall deem them the most unreasonable andungrateful of human kind."
"She won't have a chance to, though," said Max; "for we're delightedwith every thing papa has got us. Aren't we, Lu and Gracie?"
"Yes, indeed!" they both replied. "Oh, we have ever so many beautifulthings! Papa and grandma Elsie helped us to choose them; so, of course,they are all just right," added Lulu, looking gratefully from one to theother.
"She takes no account of _my_ very valuable assistance," laughed Zoe.
"Never mind: you are sure to be appreciated in one quarter," saidEdward, coming up at that moment, catching her round the waist, andbestowing a hearty kiss upon each cheek. "I have been lost without mywife all day."
"How good of you!" she returned merrily. "I doubt if it isn't a verygood plan to run away occasionally, that I may be the more highlyappreciated on my return."
"Would you advise me to do likewise, and for the same reason, ladymine?" he asked, drawing her caressingly aside from the little group nowbusily occupied in telling and hearing about the day's purchases.
"No, sir," she said, tossing back her curls, and looking up into hisface with a bewitchingly saucy smile: "you'd better not attempt it, lestthere should be mutiny in the camp. When you go, I go too."
"Turn about, fair play," he said, knitting his brows. "I claim theprivilege of being quite as independent as you are--when you can't pleaddelegated authority from the doctor;" and, drawing her hand within hisarm, he led her away to their private apartments.
Violet, hurrying down to welcome her husband home, passed them on thestairway.
"You two happy children!" she said, glancing smilingly back at them.
"Children!" echoed Edward. "Mrs. Raymond, how can you be sodisrespectful to your elder brother?--your senior by some two years."
"Ah! but your united ages are much less than Levis's and mine; andhusband and wife make but one, don't they?" she returned gayly, as shetripped away.
Baby was almost herself again, and the young mother's heart was full ofgladness.
She joined the group on the veranda, her husband receiving her with aglad smile and tender caress, and standing by his side, her hand on hisshoulder, his arm half supporting her slight, girlish form, listenedwith lively in
terest to the story his children were telling so eagerly,of papa's kindness and generosity to them, and the many lovely thingsbought to make beautiful and attractive the rooms in the new home thatwere to be especially theirs.
He let them talk without restraint for some moments, then saidpleasantly, "Now, my dears, it is time for you to go and make yourselvesneat for the tea-table. Any thing more you think of that would be likelyto 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'sexperiences, was over, the children found themselves very weary,--thetwo little girls at least: Max wouldn't acknowledge that he was at allfatigued, but was quite willing to comply with his father's suggestionthat it would be wise for him, as well as for his sisters, to go earlyto bed.
While Lulu was making ready for hers, her thoughts turned upon themorrow, 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 quitetoo bad for you to go out. Why should you wish it?"
"Because--because--I--I'm afraid people have heard about--about how badI was the other day; and--so I--I can't bear to go where I'll--be seenby 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, taking her on his knee; "but itis a part of the punishment you have brought upon yourself, and willhave 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 allowedto do so.
"'Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner ofsome is,' the Bible says; so I cannot allow you to absent yourself fromthe 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'sWord, and, as far as lies in my power, see that my children obey themtoo."
"I'd rather take a whipping than go to-morrow," she muttered, half underher breath.
"I hope you are not going to be so naughty that you will have to doboth," he said very gravely. "You have been a very good girl to-day, andI want you to end it as such."
"I mean to, papa; I'd be ashamed to be naughty after all you have donefor me, and given me to-day: and I mean to be pleasant about going tochurch to-morrow; though it'll be ever so hard, and I'm sure youwouldn't want to go if you were me."
"If you were I," he corrected. "No: if I were you, I suppose I shouldfeel just as you do; but the question is not what we want to do, butwhat God bids us do.
"Jesus said, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.' 'He that hath mycommandments, 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 hiscommandments."
"Papa, you always want to do right, don't you?" she asked. "I mean, youlike 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 forme to do what I feel to be my duty; for instance, when it is to inflictpain upon you, or another of my dear children, or deny you someindulgence that you crave. I should like to grant your request ofto-night, if I could feel that it would be right; but I cannot, andtherefore must deny it."
Lulu acquiesced in the decision with a deep sigh, and half hoped thatsomething--a storm, or even a fit of sickness--might come to prevent herfrom having to go to church.
But Sunday morning was as bright and clear as the one before it, and shein perfect health; so there was no escape from the dreaded ordeal.
She ventured upon no further entreaty, knowing it would be altogetheruseless, and quite as much from love to her father, and a real desire toplease him, as from fear of punishment, behaved herself as well aspossible.
But she kept as entirely in the background as she could, not looking ator speaking to any one unless directly addressed.
No one, however, gave her any reason to suppose her agency in the baby'saccident was known; and she returned to Ion with a lighter heart thanshe had carried with her when she went.
She had not seen the baby yet, since its fall, and though longing to doso, having an ardent affection for the winsome little creature, did notdare to ask that she might.
But as she was about to go into her own room, on reaching home, herfather said, "Would you like to go with me to the nursery, Lulu, and seeyour little sister?"
"Oh, so much, papa, if I may!" she cried eagerly. "But," half drawingback, "perhaps she--will be afraid of me."
"I trust not," he said, with emotion. "I hope she does not know that youhad 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 andpaler than before her fall, that tears sprang to Lulu's eyes, and shecould scarce refrain from sobbing aloud.
But the little one, catching sight of her, held out its arms, with ajoyful cry, "Lu!"
At that, Lulu's tears fell fast.
"May I take her, papa?" she asked sobbingly, and with an entreating lookup 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 quitesure you would never hurt her intentionally."
Lulu gladly availed herself of the permission, took the baby in herarms, and sat down with it on her lap.
"Lu, Lu!" the little one repeated in her sweet baby voice; and Luluhugged her close, kissing her again and again, and saying softly, "Youdear, sweet darling; sister loves you, indeed, indeed she does!"
The captain looked on, his heart swelling with joy and thankfulness overthe evident mutual affection of the two; for there had been a time whenhe feared Lulu would never love the child of her step-mother as she didMax and Grace.
Violet entered the room at that moment, and the little scene caused hereyes to fill with tears of gladness.
She was ready for the shopping expedition the next day: the childrenwere allowed to go too, and again had a most enjoyable time.
After that they were told lessons must be taken up again: and Lulupassed most of her time in her own room, generally engaged in preparingher tasks for her father to hear in the evening; for he was now so busywith the improvements being carried forward at Woodburn, that very oftenhe could not attend to her recitations till after tea.
She continued to think him the kindest and most interesting teacher shehad ever had; while he found, to his surprise, that he had a liking forthe occupation, aside from his fatherly interest in his pupil: and Maxand Grace, listening to Lulu's report, grew anxious for the time whenthey could share her privileges.
But their waiting-time would not be very long. As soon as Miss Elliott'sstipulated two weeks had expired, she would leave Woodburn, and theywould take possession immediately. Their father and his young wife werequite as eager as they to begin the new order of things.