CHAPTER FIFTH.
"She fed me first to God; Her words and prayers were my young spirit's dew." --PIERPONT.
"Hallo! this looks like welcome; every one of you been crying!" Mr. Rosssaid, catching up Sophie in his arms, and glancing about upon his group ofchildren, after an affectionate greeting to his wife, and a cordially kindone to their guest.
"What's the trouble? so sorry papa was coming home, eh?"
"No, no, that wasn't it, papa," they cried, crowding around him, eacheager to claim the first caress, "it wasn't that, but we wanted to go foryou, and mamma wouldn't let us."
"Yes," said Lucy, "they all wanted to go and as that couldn't be, and noone would give up to the others, I kept them all at home."
"Quite right," he said, gravely, "I'm afraid you hardly deserve the prettygifts I have brought."
"Oh, yes, yes, papa, we'll be good next time! Indeed we will! Mamma, coaxhim!"
"Yes, do let them have them, Phil," urged his wife, "where would be theuse of keeping the things back after spending your money for them?"
"To teach them a good lesson. I'm afraid both you and I are foolishlyindulgent, Lucy."
"Oh, they'll be good next time."
"This once then, but only this once, unless they keep their word," hesaid, producing his gifts--a book or toy for each of his own children, anda package of sweetmeats which he divided among all present.
He had brought a new dog home with him, but no one but Eddie had noticedit yet. He was stroking and patting it, saying, "Poor fellow, what kind ofa dog are you?"
"A French poodle," said Mr. Ross, coming up to them, "A good watch dog,and excellent for scaring up the wild ducks for the sportsmen. Do you andpapa keep up the shooting lessons, master Eddie?"
"Yes, sir; papa has always said he meant to make me as good a shot ashimself, and mamma says it was never his way to give up till a thing'sthoroughly done," returned the boy, proudly.
"And you don't equal him as a shot yet, eh?"
"No, sir! no, indeed! Why, even cousin Cal Conly--a big man--can't shootas well as papa."
"What an ugly dog!" exclaimed the other children, gathering round.
"What did you buy it for, papa?" asked Gertrude.
"Not for beauty, certainly," laughed Mr. Ross, stroking and patting theshaggy head of the dog, who was covered with curly hair of a dirty white,mottled with dull brown, "but for worth which is far better. Isn't it,Ranger?"
A wag of his bushy tail, was Ranger's only reply.
"Will he bite?" asked little Herbert, shrinking back as the newcomerturned toward him.
"Tramps and burglars; but not good children," replied Mr. Ross. "Youneedn't be afraid of him, my little man."
Through the evening there was a great deal of romping between the childrenand the new dog, but little Elsie seemed unusually quiet, scarcelystirring from her mother's side. She was suffering with toothache, butkept her trouble to herself; principally, because she had a great dread ofthe dentist's instruments.
But in the night the pain grew so severe that she could not keep fromcrying and groaning. She did not want to wake any one, so buried her facein the pillow to smother the sound of her sobs; but presently a gentlehand touched her caressingly, and mamma's sweet voice asked, "What ails mylittle daughter?"
"O mamma I did not mean to wake you!" cried the little girl sitting upwith her hand pressed to her cheek, "but the pain was so bad I couldn'thelp making a noise."
"My poor dear little girl! did you think your mother would want to sleepwhen her child was in pain?" Elsie said, clasping her in her arms. "No,indeed! so do not try to bear any pain alone another time."
Mamma's loving sympathy was very sweet; the pain was soon relieved, too,by some medicine she put into the tooth, and presently all was forgottenin sound refreshing sleep.
Elsie came into her mamma's dressing-room the next morning, along with theothers, looking as bright and well as was her wont, yet with the bodingfear that something would be said to her about having the troublesometooth extracted.
However to her relief the subject was not broached at all; they had theirusual reading and prayer, recitation of texts and talk with mamma aboutthe lessons contained in them, and then the breakfast bell summoned themto their morning meal.
The tooth was quiet for a few days, then ached again for several hoursharder than ever.
"O mamma, mamma, what shall I do?" sobbed the child in the midst of herpain.
"Couldn't my little girl pluck up courage enough to have it out?" askedthe mother tenderly.
"O mamma, don't say I must! please don't; I'm so frightened at the verythought!"
"Ah, if I could only bear it for you, my darling! but you know I cannot."
"No, dear mamma, and I couldn't be so selfish as to let you, if you could.But must I have it out?"
"I have not said so; I should far rather my dear daughter would say mustto herself."
"Ought I, mamma?"
"Ought you not? The tooth has become only a source of pain and trouble toyou; if left it will cause the others to decay, and decayed teeth injurethe health. Health is one of God's best gifts and it is our duty to useevery means in our power to preserve it."
"Yes, mamma, but oh, I'm so afraid!" cried the child, trembling andweeping.
"My darling, resolve to do your duty with God's help, and he will fulfillhis promise to you. 'As thy days so shall thy strength be.'"
Little Elsie had long ago given her heart to Jesus; love to him was theruling motive of her life, and to please and honor him she was ready to door endure anything. "I will try, mamma," she said, "and you too will askGod to help me?"
Mamma gave the promise, sealing it with a very tender kiss.
Mr. Ross was going down to New York the next morning, and it was soonarranged that his wife, Mrs. Travilla and little Elsie, should accompanyhim.
Mrs. Ross had some shopping to do, but would first take the two Elsies toher dentist, so that the little girl's trial might be over as soon aspossible and she able to enjoy some sight-seeing afterward. Baby Lily wasbetter and could be safely entrusted for the day to Aunt Chloe's faithfulcare.
The plan was concealed from the Ross children because, as their mothersaid, "it was the only way to have any peace." So they were allowed tosleep until the travelers had taken an early breakfast and gone.
The little Travillas, however, were up and saw the departure, bidding acheerful good-bye to "mamma and sister Elsie," sending wistful, longinglooks after the carriage as it rolled away, but making no complaint thatthey were left behind.
"Poor dear Elsie!" Vi said with tears in her eyes, "it's just dreadfulthat she must have that tooth extricated."
"Extracted," corrected Eddie. "Vi, you seem to forget what mammasays:--that you should never use a big word unless you are sure you haveit right; or when a little one would do as well."
"What little one?"
"Pulled."
"Couldn't it be pulled and not come out?"
"Well then you might say pulled out."
"I like the other word best," persisted Vi. "But we needn't be particularabout words when Elsie's going to be so dreadfully hurt."
Herbert burst out crying at that.
"Why Herbie what ails you?" asked Vi, putting her arms round his neck andgiving him a kiss.
"I don't want the mans to hurt my Elsie," sobbed the little fellow, "maybedey'll kill her."
"Oh, no, they won't! mamma will never let them do that. They'll only takeaway the naughty tooth that hurts her so."
"Come let's go and walk round the garden," said Eddie, taking Herbie'shand, "mamma said we might."
The breakfast bell called them in to find the Rosses making a perfectbedlam in their anger and disappointment at being left behind by theirparents. Sophie was screaming and stamping with rage, the boys and Katewere whimpering and scolding, and Gertrude walking about with flashingeyes, was saying "I'll never forgive mamma for this, no I never will; f
orshe'd promised to take me along next time she went to the city."
Violet, Eddie, and Harold hearing these words, looked at each other inhorrified silence. "How could she speak so of her own mother?"
Miss Fisk came in, in her quiet, deliberate way and stood looking for amoment from one to another of her pupils in a sort of amazed, reprovingsilence that presently had the effect of quieting them down a little. Thenshe spoke.
"Young ladies and young gentlemen, I am astonished! especially at yourexpressions and behavior, Miss Gertrude Ross. How you can permit yourselfto indulge in such invectives against parents so extremely indulgent asMr. and Mrs. Ross, I cannot conceive."
Sophie whose screams had sunk to sobs, now permitted the servant to lifther to her high chair, Kate and the boys slunk shamefacedly into theirseats at the table, and Gertrude, muttering something about "people notkeeping their promises," followed their example.
"Come, sit down, my dears," Miss Fisk said, turning to Violet and herbrothers; "the tempest seems to have nearly subsided and I hope will notresume its violence."
Herbie was clinging to Vi in a frightened way, sobbing "I want mamma!" andHarold's eyes too were full of tears. It took coaxing and soothing torestore their equanimity and then the breakfast proceeded, everybodyseeming to grow brighter and more good humored with the satisfying of theappetite for food.
Vi was a merry little creature, a veritable bit of sunshine wherever shewent, and under the influence of her bright looks and ways, sweet ripplinglaughter and amusing speeches, the whole party at length grew quite merry:especially after Miss Fisk had announced that there were to be no lessonsthat day but instead a picnic in the woods.
CHAPTER SIXTH.
"By sports like these are all their cares beguil'd, The sports of children satisfy the child." --GOLDSMITH.