Quite early the next morning, fully half an hour before breakfast time,
Lulu and Grace came hand in hand, and with loving greetings, to the
side of their father’s couch.
The young faces were very bright, and looking searchingly into Lulu’s,
he thought it wore a sweeter expression than he had ever seen on it
before.
“Papa, I am very happy this morning,” she said softly, putting her arm
round his neck and laying her cheek to his.
“I am very glad, my darling,” he responded, “your happiness lies very
near your father’s heart.”
“It’s because Jesus loves me, papa,” she went on, in low, earnest
tones. “Oh, I find his love is even sweeter than yours! though that has
always been so sweet to me. Oh, now I’m glad to belong to him, and I
want to serve him all my days! it seems strange that I haven’t always
wanted to.”
“It is passing strange,” he sighed, “that it is not the joy of every
human heart to belong to him and do him service.”
“Papa, I want to be good and do every thing he tells me. Do you think I
shall ever be naughty again? disobedient to you? willful? passionate?”
“My dear child, to think you would not, would be like expecting you to
win the prize as soon as you have started to run the race; to gain the
victory as soon as the battle is begun. Not so easily can our spiritual
foes, or the evil of our natures, be overcome; the fight will go on
till we reach the verge of Jordan.”
“Death, papa?”
“Yes; ’tis only then we can sing the victor’s song. And yet, trusting
in the Lord Jesus, who is called ‘the captain of our salvation,’ we
may be sure of final victory: certain that we shall be ‘more than
conquerors through him that loved us.’”
Max joined them presently, and asked his father what orders he was to
carry to the workmen and men-servants.
When that matter had been attended to, the captain, giving the lad a
look of proud fatherly affection, said: “Max, my boy, you are growing
fast; you will be a man one of these days, should it please God to
spare your life; what do you think of making of yourself? I mean,”
seeing a slightly puzzled look on the lad’s face, “what would you
choose as your principal employment for life?”
“I don’t know, papa,” Max answered, with some hesitation. “What would
you like best to have me do?”
“Whatever you have most talent and inclination for, if we can find out
what that is,” returned his father; “for that will be the thing you can
do with the greatest enjoyment and most successfully.”
“That is very kind in you, papa,” said Max; “but I would rather have
you decide for me, you are so much wiser than I; and I don’t think I
have any particular fancy for any one thing yet.”
“Well, my son, there is no need to decide in haste,” his father said;
“it will be better to take plenty of time to consider the question, as
so we will be more likely to come to a wise decision.
“But, my boy, whatever your choice may be, I want you to seek to
glorify God in doing your work; to be the servant of God and not the
servant of men.
“‘Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men!’
“Let not the question with you be ‘How shall I obtain wealth and fame?
How gain the approbation of my fellow men?’ but ‘What shall I do that I
may please God? how shall I best honor and glorify him? how do the most
for the upbuilding of his cause and kingdom?’
“‘For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body
and in your spirit which are God’s.’
“Gracie, can you tell me what that price was?”
“Yes, papa, one of my Bible verses says, ‘Ye know that ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot.’”
Here the conversation was interrupted by the bringing in of the
captain’s breakfast.
Max sprang up and rolled a small table to the side of the couch, while
Lulu quickly brought and spread upon it a snow-white damask cloth which
she took from a closet. Upon that the servant set the silver waiter she
had brought in. Then Lulu poured out a cup of coffee for her father,
while Max broke and seasoned his egg, and Grace handed him a plate and
the buttered toast.
It was evidently a delight to each one of them to wait upon him, and to
him to receive their loving service.
They hovered lovingly about him till his meal was finished, then went
to the dining-room for their own.
While they were thus engaged the captain had a delightful surprise.
As he lay there quietly musing, thinking, in fact, of the wife and
babies up-stairs, and longing to go to them, particularly for a sight
of her sweet face, a slender, girlish, white-robed figure glided in
at the open door and to the side of his couch, and, almost ere he was
aware of its vicinity, two arms were about his neck, two lips were
pressed to his in a long kiss of ardent affection.
“Vi, my precious little wife! my darling!” he cried, clasping her close
in an ecstasy of delight. “Can it be you, love? I did not know they
would let you come to me yet. Ah, I hope you are not exerting yourself
too much, glad as I am to see your dear face and have you in my arms
again.”
“I couldn’t stay away another minute,” she said, repeating her
caresses; “but Arthur gave his consent, and now they shan’t keep us
apart any more.
“Oh, my darling, tell me, are you suffering? Ah, it was so hard to know
you were in pain and not be able to come to you and at least try to
give you some relief.”
“I think it has been pretty hard on us both,” he said, stroking her
hair and gazing fondly into her eyes. “No, love, I don’t suffer now
when I’m careful to obey orders, and not move the injured limb,” he
added gayly, “here take this easy chair close by my side. Ah, I begin
to think Max knew what he was about when he wheeled it up! I rather
wondered at the time, but asked no questions.”
“Yes,” she said, leaning back in the chair and gazing on him with
devouring eyes. “I let our Maxie into the secret—dear boy that he
is—but charged him not to tell his father. I wanted to give you a
surprise.”
“You succeeded. Ah, dearest, what a feast it is just to lie and look at
you.”
“I echo your sentiments,” she returned, gayly, then sobering down, “My
dear husband, I want you to promise me that you will never mount that
horse again.”
“You are making common cause with Lulu against the poor fellow, I
perceive,” he said, with a humorous smile.
“Poor fellow, indeed! he must be very vicious to throw so good a
master, and that without the slightest provocation.”
“Ah, my love, there you are mistaken, for I have learned that the poor
animal had been subjected to very bad treatment just before being
brought from the stable. I have therefore dismissed Ajax and engaged
another man in his place. But set your heart at rest, for your dear
sake and my children’s I have consented to sell the horse. Negotiations
are being carried on now with a gentleman who desires to own him, and
will probably be completed to-day.”
“Oh, I am glad to hear it,” she cried. “Not for twice his money’s worth
would I have him given another opportunity to do you an injury.”
“I’m afraid I must acknowledge,” laughed the captain, “that I feel a
strong desire to teach him that I am his master; but for your sake, my
love, I consent to forego that pleasure.”
“Ah, who should ensure your success in that effort?” she asked with a
mischievous look. “You are, I know, a man accustomed to obedience from
those under your authority, but possibly you might fail in exacting it
from Thunderer.”
“Very true,” he returned, good-humoredly, “but perhaps the doubt makes
me all the more eager to prove my ability. Ah, here come the children!”
as childish footsteps came pattering down the hall.
“Mamma! Mamma Vi!” exclaimed the little girls, catching sight of her
as they crossed the threshold, “how nice to see you down again!” and
they ran to her to give and receive loving caresses, for even Lulu had
grown fond of their beautiful and lovable young mother. Persevering,
unvarying kindness had done its legitimate work.
“Thank you, dears,” Violet said, “you can’t be more pleased to see me
here than I am to be here; it has been very hard for me to stay away
from your papa while knowing that he was suffering; but a very great
comfort to feel so sure that he had loving attention from his children.”
“They have been the best and dearest of nurses,” he said, smiling
tenderly upon them.
“Here’s the mail, papa,” cried Max, coming in with the bag, and handing
it to his father.
The captain opened it with a key which he took from his pocket, handed
Violet her letters and began opening his own.
“Ah!” he exclaimed presently, “Mr. Mason accepts my terms, and
Thunderer is sold.”
“Oh, good! good!” cried Lulu, dancing up and down in delight. “Now,
papa, I think he’ll never have a chance to throw you again.”
“No, I presume not,” said the captain. “And I suppose you are all well
pleased that he is disposed of.”
“I certainly am,” said Violet.
“I too,” said Grace; “for O, papa, I should have been afraid for you
every time you got on his back.”
Max had not spoken, and his father, looking at him with a humorous
smile, asked, “And you, my boy? what have you to say about it?”
“I suppose I ought to be satisfied, papa,” returned the lad with some
little hesitation, “but—”
“Well, out with it, my son,” laughed the captain; “you did not exactly
want him sold, eh?”
“I—I believe I rather liked the idea of seeing you conquer him, papa,”
answered Max, a trifle shamefacedly. “I wouldn’t have you hurt again
for any thing, I’m sure,” he went on earnestly, “but I don’t believe
he could throw you again; for you would be on your guard another time
as you were not before, and you are a fine horseman, and I’m certain,
almost, could conquer any horse that ever was made.”
At that his father laughed outright, but there was certainly no
displeasure in his mirth.
“Perhaps it is just as well for my reputation for skill and prowess
that they should not be tested too far,” he said.
“Max,” said Violet, “I like that speech of yours; and I believe if I
were a boy with such a father as yours, I should feel just as you do
about it.”
“What do you say to a holiday, children, in honor of your mamma’s
coming down stairs?” asked the captain.
There was a unanimous vote in favor of the motion.
“Then so it shall be,” he said. “Ring for the servants, Max; it is time
for family worship. After that we will send for the two babies to join
us and see what a merry time we can have.”
Little Elsie had been an almost daily visitor to her father, but the
new-comer only an occasional one. It was now some days since his last
visit.
“Does he grow, Vi?” asked the captain while they were waiting for the
coming of the nurses.
“Yes, indeed; and develops new beauties every day,” she answered gayly.
“At least so his mother thinks. Ah, here they come, the darlings!”
“Papa, papa!” shouted little Elsie, eagerly reaching out her arms to
her father. “Take her, papa.”
“Yes, bring her here,” he said.
He was still unable to stand or walk, as the injured limb had not yet
gained strength to bear his weight, but could now assume a sitting
posture; so for the first time in several weeks, the baby girl was
treated to a seat upon his knee.
She seemed to appreciate the privilege. “Elsie sit on papa’s lap,” she
cooed triumphantly; then putting one arm round his neck, she patted his
cheek with the other hand, and showered kisses upon him while he petted
and fondled her.
But she was soon ready to get down and go to her play.
Lulu had got possession of the tiny baby, was holding it very carefully
and gazing affectionately into the wee face, Max and Gracie standing
beside her, doing likewise.
“The little chap has grown sure enough,” remarked Max.
“Whom does he resemble, Max?” asked Violet.
“Nobody but himself, I think, Mamma Vi.”
“O Max, how disappointing!” she laughed. “Now, I have been thinking I
could see quite a striking likeness to both your papa and yourself.”
“Very complimentary to us both, Max,” laughed the captain in his turn.
“Bring him here, Lulu, and let me see if I can find that resemblance.”
“Well?” Violet said enquiringly, as he took the babe in his arms and
regarded it with earnest scrutiny.
“I must say I think it is largely in your imagination, my dear,”
replied her husband, “though I can’t say that he looks more like any
one else than like Max or his father.”
“Well, time will show,” she said, laughingly, and gazing at the babe
with all a mother’s admiring love, “we’ll see what you and Max have to
say in another month.”
After that no day passed without an interview between the captain and
his wife, and as soon as both were able for the short journey, they
went to Ion for a week, taking all the children with them. The Lelands
were there at the same time, and a very delightful holiday it proved to
all, old and young, guests and entertainers.
Then for another week the same company gathered at Fairview.
It was now late in the summer, and it seemed that every body was
longing for sea-breezes. Some one, one evening as they sat in the
veranda, expressed the desire and started the queries whether it would
not be advisable to go to some sea-side resort, and which was most to
be preferred.
The first question was soon decided in the affirmative.
Then Zoe exclaimed, “Let us go to Nantucket! We had such a delightful
time there; and we can travel nearly all the way by sea, so that the
journey will not be hard for our recovering invalids.”
The motion was carried by acclamation.
“Oh, I’m so glad!” cried Lulu, clapping her hands. “I’d rather go there
than to any other place I can think of. I liked it so much before, and
it’ll be twice as nice for me with you along, Eva; ’twill be such fun
to show you all the interesting places. And O, papa, may we take the
ponies with us?”
“Yes,” he said, “I shall arrange for that; quite for their sakes,
of course,” he added, jestingly, “for no doubt they will enjoy the
sea-breezes as much as the rest of us.”
“Oh, you are such a dear, good, kind papa,” laughed Lulu, giving him a
vigorous hug. “You’d never allow ponies or horses to be abused, but I
guess I know which you care most for—the ponies or your children.”
“Yes, indeed, we do,” Grace said, seizing his hand and lifting it to
her lips; “you love us ever so much more than you do the ponies; but
oh, I am so glad we are going, and that we may take them along; it’ll
be so nice to ride them there.”
But little preparation was needed, and in a few days the voyage was
begun. That and the sojourn upon the island which followed, were almost
one long delight to the children, and enjoyed but little less by the
older members of the party.
They went again to every place of interest they had visited before, and
with quite as much pleasure; they sailed again about the harbor by both
moonlight and daylight, went on fishing excursions and “squantums,” and
had many a delicious gallop over the breezy hills and downs.