Lulu's first thought on awaking the next morning was of dear Grandma
Elsie. "I wonder," she said to herself, "if papa has not been asking
news of her through the telephone; oh, I hope she is getting well!"
Hurrying through the duties of the toilet, she was ready to run to meet
her father when presently she heard his steps in the hall without.
"Good-morning, papa," she cried. "Oh, have you heard from Ion how
Grandma Elsie passed the night?"
"Yes," he said, bending down to give her a good-morning kiss, "she
passed a very comfortable night; is thought to be doing as well as
possible. Mamma Vi and our little ones are all right also; I have just
had a talk with your mamma, through the telephone."
"Oh, I am glad! How nice it is that we can talk in that way to the folks
at Ion and the other places where Mamma Vi's relations live!"
"Yes; a telephone is really a blessing under such circumstances. I am
much more reconciled to being at some short distance from my wife and
little ones than I could be if without such means of communication."
They went down to the library together and seating himself he drew her
to his knee, saying pleasantly, "You are the youngest child at home with
me, and I think I must have you here. I hope you will never think
yourself too old to sometimes sit on your father's knee."
"No, papa, I'm sure I never shall while you are willing to let me," she
replied, putting an arm round his neck and gazing lovingly into his
eyes.
They chatted for a few minutes, then the breakfast bell rang, and
presently they were again seated at the little round table from which
they had eaten last night's supper, Lulu pouring the coffee with a very
grown-up air, while her father filled her plate and his own with the
tempting viands.
"What a lovely, delightful home we have, papa!" she remarked, as she
handed him his cup. "I do really think that with such a father and such
a home I ought to be the best girl in the world; and I do mean to try to
be."
"I have no doubt you do, daughter, and I have seldom had occasion to
find serious fault with you in the last year or more, so that I am by no
means in despair of seeing you gain control of that troublesome temper
which has caused so much unhappiness to both you and me."
"Oh, thank you for saying it, papa!" she returned, with a bright and
joyous smile. "I'm determined to try my very best to be as good as
possible, both to please you and to earn that visit to Annapolis that
you spoke of last night. I think it will be very delightful; and how
pleased Max will be to see us; especially you."
"I think he will. Ah, here comes the mail-bag!" as a servant entered
with it.
"Oh, I hope there's a letter from Max," Lulu said, as her father opened
the bag and took out the contents--papers, magazines, and letters.
"Yes, here is one from our dear boy," he said, singling out a letter and
hastily tearing it open.
He read it first to himself, then aloud to her--a bright, cheery,
boyish, affectionate epistle such as they were accustomed to receive
from Max's pen.
They talked it over together while they finished their breakfast, then
returned to the library where, as usual, Christine, Alma, and the
servants being called in, the captain led the family devotions, reading
a portion of the Scripture and engaging in prayer.
"Are you going immediately to Ion, papa?" asked Lulu, when again they
were alone together.
"No," he replied; "I have some matters to attend to here while you are
preparing your lessons. After hearing them, if your recitations and
conduct have been satisfactory, I intend taking you with me to the
village, where I have to make some business arrangements; then we will
drive to Ion, spend a little time there, then come home, probably
bringing your little sisters and brother with us as we did the other
day, returning them as before to your Mamma Vi, just in time for supper
and bed, and coming home alone together."
"Oh, I like that, papa!" she exclaimed, "and is it what you intend doing
every day?"
"Every day while your Grandma Elsie is so ill that the noise might
disturb her; unless the weather should be quite too inclement, I think
it will be a relief to your Mamma Vi to have them here a good deal of
the time, till her mother is better.
"I suppose so, papa; and at the same time very pleasant for us--they are
such darlings!"
"So you and I think," he said, with a smile. "Now go to your lessons,
daughter."
At Ion Grandma Elsie lay quietly sleeping, her three daughters watching
over her with tenderest care and solicitude. Scarce a sound was to be
heard, either within doors or without, save the distant lowing of
cattle, the twittering of birds, and the gentle sighing of the wind in
the treetops; family and servants moved with cautious tread, speaking
seldom, and that with bated breath, lest they should disturb her who was
so dear to all hearts.
To Walter it seemed very hard to be shut out of mamma's room, and he sat
on the veranda watching for the coming of Cousin Arthur, to petition for
admittance, if only for a moment, just to look at her and come away
again.
Cousin Arthur had been with her through the night, had gone away early
in the morning and was expected back again soon.
The half hour spent in watching and waiting seemed very long indeed to
the little lad, but at last, oh joy! there was Cousin Arthur's sulky
turning in at the great gates; then it came swiftly up the avenue, and
Walter rose and hastened to meet the doctor as he alighted.
"O Cousin Arthur!" he cried, but in subdued tones, "they've shut me out
of mamma's room and I just don't know how to stand it any longer. Mayn't
I go in, if it's only for a minute, to get one look at her dear face? I
won't speak to her or touch her if you say I must not, but oh, I don't
know how to endure being kept away from her altogether."
The little fellow's tones were tremulous, and his eyes filled with tears
as he spoke.
Dr. Conly felt for the child, and laying a hand kindly on his head, said
cheerfully, "Don't be down-hearted, my boy, your mother will be well
enough in a few days, I hope, to stand quite an interview with her
youngest son, and perhaps it may do for you to go in for a moment this
morning; you may come upstairs with me and wait in the hall till I see
how she is. If I find her well enough to stand a peep from her boy, you
shall go in for a minute, provided you will promise to be cheerful and
not to speak unless you have the doctor's permission."
"Oh, I'll promise to do anything you bid me, if you'll only let me see
her," returned Walter in eager tones, then followed the doctor with
noiseless tread through the hall and up the broad stairway.
Reaching his mother's door, he paused and waited outside while the
doctor went quietly in.
His patient seemed to be asleep, but opened her eyes and smiled up into
his face as he reached the bedside.
"Dear cousin," he said, low and tenderly, "are you feeling quite easy
now?"
"Quite so," she answered in low, sweet tones; "all is going right, I
think. Is it not?"
"Yes, so it would seem. You are the best of patients, and with the
abundance of good nursing you are sure to have, I think we will soon
have you about again. But," glancing around upon her three daughters,
"she must be kept very quiet, neither talking nor being talked to much
more than is absolutely necessary.
"However, I am going to allow Walter a moment's sight of his mother, and
as he is your baby boy, you may, if you choose, speak half a dozen words
to him," he added, addressing himself directly to the patient.
Then stepping to the door, he beckoned to Walter, and led him to the
side of the bed.
"There, laddie, you may tell her how dearly you love her, but nothing
more."
"Mamma, dear, darling mamma! I couldn't begin to tell it!" Walter said,
low and tremulously, just touching his lips to her cheek.
"Mother's darling boy!" was all she said in response, but the eyes
looking into his spoke volumes of mother-love.
"Don't cry, Walter, my man," his cousin said, as he led him out to the
hall again; "you have behaved so well that I think you may be allowed
another interview to-morrow; and I hope you will see your mother up and
about again in perhaps a fortnight from this. You must pray for her
healing to the Great Physician, as we all are doing: and pray in faith,
for you know the Bible tells us he is the hearer and answerer of
prayer."
"Oh, I will! I do!" sobbed the child, "and I'm so glad there are so many
others asking for her too, because the Bible says Jesus promised that
his Father would grant what two or three agreed together to ask for."
"Yes; pray for your mother, believe God's promises, and be happy in the
expectation that she will get well; and with a mind at rest interest
yourself in your studies and sports. That's my prescription for you, my
lad; now go and take it like a good boy," added the doctor, with a
smile, as he turned and re-entered the sick-room.
"A funny prescription, and not so bad to take," laughed Walter to
himself, as he wiped away his tears and hastened to the schoolroom to
attend to his lessons.
"Nobody here but myself," he sighed, as he crossed the threshold. "It's
rather lonesome, but I'll do the best I can. It's what mamma would
advise."