"An angel face! its sunny wealth of hair,
In radiant ripples bathed the graceful throat
And dimpled shoulders."
--MRS. OSGOOD.
The cold gray light of a winter morning was stealing in through the
half-closed blinds as Elsie awoke, and started up in bed, with the
thought that this was the day on which several of her young guests were
expected, and that her papa had promised her a walk with him before
breakfast, if she were ready in time.
Aunt Chloe had already risen, and a bright fire was blazing and
crackling on the hearth, which she was carefully sweeping up.
"Good morning, mammy," said the little girl. "Are you ready to dress me
now?"
"What, you 'wake, darlin'?" cried the fond old creature, turning
quickly round at the sound of her nursling's voice. "Better lie still,
honey, till de room gets warm."
"I'll wait a little while, mammy," Elsie said, lying down again, "but I
must get up soon; for I wouldn't miss my walk with papa for a great
deal. Please throw the shutters wide open, and let the daylight in. I'm
so glad it has come."
"Why, my bressed lamb, you didn't lie awake lookin' for de mornin', did
you? You ain't sick, nor sufferin' any way?" exclaimed Chloe, in a tone
of mingled concern and inquiry, as she hastily set down her broom, and
came toward the bed, with a look of loving anxiety on her dark face.
"Oh, no, mammy! I slept nicely, and feel as well as can be," replied
the little girl; "but I am glad to see this new day, because I hope it
is going to be a very happy one. Carry Howard, and a good many of my
little friends are coming, you know, and I think we will have a very
pleasant time together."
"Your ole mammy hopes you will, darlin'," replied Chloe, heartily; "an'
I'se glad 'nough to see you lookin' so bright an' well; but jes you lie
still till it gets warm here. I'll open de shutters, an' fotch some
more wood for de fire, an' clar up de room, an' by dat time I reckon
you can get up."
Elsie waited patiently till Chloe pronounced the room warm enough, then
sprang up with an eager haste, asking to be dressed as quickly as
possible, that she might go to her papa.
"Don't you go for to worry yourself, darlin'; dere's plenty ob time,"
said Chloe, beginning her work with all speed, however; "de mistress
had ordered de breakfast at nine, dese holiday times, to let de ladies
an' gen'lemen take a mornin' nap if dey likes it."
"Oh, yes, mammy! and that reminds me that papa said I must eat a
cracker or something before I take my walk, because he thinks it isn't
good for people to exercise much on an entirely empty stomach," said
Elsie. "Will you get me one when you have done my curls?"
"Yes, honey, dere's a paper full in de drawer yonder," replied Chloe,
"an' I reckon you better eat two or three, or you'll be mighty hungry
'fore you gits your breakfast."
It still wanted a few minutes of eight o'clock when Elsie's gentle rap
was heard at her papa's dressing-room door. He opened it, and stooping
to give her a good-morning kiss, said, with a pleased smile, "How
bright and well my darling looks! Had you a good night's rest?"
"Oh, yes, papa! I never waked once till it began to be light," she
replied; "and now I'm all ready for our walk."
"In good season, too," he said. "Well, we will start presently; but
take off your hat and come and sit on my knee a little while first;
breakfast will be late this morning, and we need not hurry. Did you get
something to eat?" he asked, as he seated himself by the fire and drew
her to his side.
"Yes, papa, I ate a cracker, and I think I will not get very hungry
before nine o'clock; and I'm very glad we have so much time for our
walk," she replied, as she took her place on his knee. "Shall we not
start soon?"
"Presently," he said, stroking her hair; "but it will not hurt you to
get well warmed first, for it is a sharp morning."
"You are very careful of me, dear papa," she said, laying her head on
his breast, "and oh! it is so nice to have a papa to love me and take
care of me."
"And it is so nice to have a dear little daughter to love and to take
care of," he answered, pressing her closer to him.
The house was still very quiet, no one seeming to be astir but the
servants, as Mr. Dinsmore and Elsie went down the stairs and passed out
through the hall.
"O papa! it is going to be such a nice day, and I feel so happy!" Elsie
gayly exclaimed, as they started down the avenue.
"Do you, daughter?" he said, regarding her with an expression of
intense yearning affection; "I wish I could make you always as gay and
happy as you are at this moment. But alas! it cannot be, my darling,"
he added with a sigh.
"I know that, papa," she said with sudden gravity, "'for man that is
born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble,' the Bible says; but
I don't feel frightened at that, because it tells me, besides, that
Jesus loves me, _oh, so dearly!_ and will never leave nor forsake me;
and that He has all power in heaven and in earth, and will _never_ let
anything happen to me but what shall do me good. O papa, it is such a
_happy_ thing to have the dear Lord Jesus for your friend!"
"It is strange how everything seems to lead your thoughts to Him," he
said, giving her a wondering look.
"Yes, papa, it is because I love Him so," she answered, simply; and the
father sighed as the thought arose, "Better than she loves me, even as
she told me herself. Ah! I would I could be _all_--_everything_ to her,
as she is fast becoming to me. I cannot feel satisfied, and yet I
believe few daughters love their fathers as well as she loves me;" and
fondly pressing the little hand he held, he looked down upon her with
beaming eyes.
She raised hers to his face with an expression of confiding affection;
and, as though she had read his thoughts: "Yes, papa," she said, "I
love _you_ dearly, dearly, too; better than all the world besides."
Breakfast--always a plentiful and inviting meal at Roselands--was
already upon the table when they returned, and they brought to it
appetites sufficiently keen to make it very enjoyable.
Elsie spent the first hour after breakfast at the piano, practising,
and the second in her papa's dressing-room, studying and reciting to
him; then they took a long ride on horseback, and when they returned
she found that quite a number of the expected guests had already
arrived.
Among them was Caroline Howard, a favorite friend of Elsie's; a pretty,
sweet-tempered little girl, about a year older than herself.
Caroline had been away paying a long visit to some friends in the
North, and so the two little girls had not met for nearly a year, and
of course they had a great deal to say to each other.
They chatted a few moments in the drawing-room, and then Elsie carried
her friend off with her to her own room, that they might go on with
their talk while she was getting dressed for dinner. Caroline had much
to tell of her Northern relatives, and of all she had seen and heard,
and Elsie of her new-found parent, and her happiness in being so loved
and cared for; and so the little tongues ran very fast, neither of them
feeling Chloe's presence any restraint. But she soon completed her
task, and went out, leaving the two sitting on the sofa together,
laughing and talking merrily while awaiting the summons to dinner,
which they were to take that day along with their elders.
"How pretty your hair is, Elsie," said Caroline, winding the glossy
ringlets around her finger. "I wish you'd give me one of these curls. I
want to get a bracelet made for mamma, and she thinks so much of you,
and your hair is such a lovely color, that I am sure she would be
delighted with one made of it."
"A Christmas gift is it to be?" asked Elsie; "but how will you get it
done in time? for you know day after to-morrow is Christmas."
"Yes, I know; but if I could get into the city this afternoon, I think
I might get them to promise it by to-morrow night."
"Well, you shall have the curl, at any rate, if you will just take the
scissors and help yourself, and poor mammy will have the fewer to curl
the next time," Elsie answered, laughingly. "But mind," she added, as
Caroline prepared to avail herself of the permission, "that you take it
where it will not be missed."
"Of course I will; I don't want to spoil your beauty, though you are so
much prettier than I," was Caroline's laughing rejoinder. "There," she
cried, holding up the severed ringlet, "isn't it a beauty? but don't
look scared, it will never be missed among so many; I don't even miss
it myself, although I know it is gone."
"Well," Elsie said, shaking back her curls, "suppose we go down to the
drawing-room now, and I will ask papa to take us to the city this
afternoon; or, if he is too busy to go himself, to let Pomp or Ajax
drive us in."
"I think it would be better fun to go alone, Elsie--don't you?" asked
Caroline, with some hesitation; adding quickly: "Don't be vexed, but I
must confess I am more than half afraid of your father."
"Oh! you wouldn't be, Carry, if you knew him," Elsie answered, in her
eager way; "I was a little myself, at first, but now I love him so
dearly, I never want to go anywhere without him."
They found Mr. Dinsmore in the drawing-room, where most of the guests
and the older members of the family were assembled. He was conversing
with a strange gentleman, and his little girl stood quietly at his
side, patiently waiting until he should be ready to give her his
attention. She had to wait some moments, for the gentlemen were
discussing some political question, and were too much engaged to notice
her.
But at length her father put his arm around her, and with a kind smile
asked, "What is it, daughter?"
"Carry and I want to go to the city, this afternoon; won't you take us,
papa?"
"I wish I could, my dear, but I have an engagement, which makes it
quite impossible."
"Ah, I'm so sorry! but then, papa, we may have one of the carriages,
and Pomp or Ajax to drive us, may we not?"
"No, daughter; I am sorry to disappoint you, but I am afraid you are
too young to be trusted on such an expedition with only a servant. You
must wait until to-morrow, when I can take you myself."
"But, papa, we want to go to-day. Oh! please do say yes; we want to go
so very much, and I'm sure we could do very nicely by ourselves."
Her arm was around his neck, and both tone and look were very coaxing.
"My little daughter forgets that when papa says no, she is never to ask
again."
Elsie blushed and hung her head. His manner was quite too grave and
decided for her to venture another word.
"What is the matter? what does Elsie want?" asked Adelaide, who was
standing near, and had overheard enough to have some idea of the
trouble.
Mr. Dinsmore explained, and Adelaide at once offered to take charge of
the little girls, saying that she intended shopping a little in the
city herself that very afternoon.
"Thank you," said her brother, looking very much pleased; "that
obviates the difficulty entirely. Elsie, you may go, if Mrs. Howard
gives Caroline permission."
"Thank you, dear papa, thank you so very much," she answered
gratefully, and then ran away to tell Carry of her success, and secure
Mrs. Howard's permission, which was easily obtained.
Elsie had intended buying some little present for each of the
house-servants, and had taken a great deal of pleasure in making out a
list of such articles as she thought would be suitable; but, on
examining her purse, she found to her dismay that she had already spent
so much on the miniature, and various gifts intended for other members
of the family, that there was very little left; and it was with a very
sober, almost sorrowful face, that she came down to take her place in
the carriage; it brightened instantly, though, as she caught sight of
her father waiting to see her off.
"All ready, my darling?" he said, holding out his hand; "I think you
will have a pleasant ride."
"Ah! yes, if you were only going too, papa," she answered regretfully.
"Quite impossible, my pet; but here is something to help you in your
shopping; use it wisely;" and he put a twenty-dollar gold piece in her
hand.
"Oh, thank you, papa! how good and kind you are to me!" she exclaimed,
her whole face lighting up with pleasure; "now I can buy some things I
wanted to get for mammy and the rest. But how could you know I wanted
more money?"
He only smiled, lifted her up in his arms, and kissed her fondly; then,
placing her in the carriage, said to the coachman, "Drive carefully,
Ajax; you are carrying my greatest treasure."
"Nebber fear, marster; dese ole horses nebber tink ob running away,"
replied the negro, with a bow and a grin, as he touched his horses with
the whip, and drove off.
It was growing quite dark when the carriage again drove up the avenue;
and Mr. Horace Dinsmore, who was beginning to feel a little anxious,
came out to receive them, and ask what had detained them so long.
"Long!" said Adelaide, in a tone of surprise, "you gentlemen really
have no idea what an undertaking it is to shop. Why, I thought we got
through in a wonderfully short time."
"O papa, I have bought such quantities of nice things," cried Elsie,
springing into his arms.
"Such as tobacco pipes, red flannel, et cetera," remarked Adelaide,
laughing.
"Indeed, Miss Adelaide!" exclaimed Carry, somewhat indignantly, "you
forget the----"
But Elsie's little hand was suddenly placed over her mouth, and Carry
laughed pleasantly, saying, "Ah! I forgot, I mustn't tell."
"Papa, papa," cried Elsie, catching hold of his hand, "do come with me
to my room, and let me show you my purchases."
"I will, darling," he answered, pinching her cheek, "Here, Bill"--to a
servant--"carry these bundles to Miss Elsie's room."
Then, picking her up, he tossed her over his shoulder, and carried her
up-stairs as easily as though she had been a baby, she clinging to him
and laughing merrily.
"Why, papa, how strong you are," she said, as he set her down. "I
believe you can carry me as easily as I can my doll."
"To be sure; you are my doll," said he, "and a very light burden for a
man of my size and strength. But here come the bundles! what a number!
no wonder you were late in getting home."
"Oh! yes, papa see! I want to show you!" and catching up one of them,
she hastily tore it open, displaying a very gay handkerchief. "This is
a turban for Aunt Phillis; and this is a pound of tobacco for old Uncle
Jack, and a nice pipe, too. Look, mammy! won't he be pleased? And
here's some flannel for poor old Aunt Dinah, who has the rheumatism;
and that--oh! no, no, mammy! don't you open that! It's a nice shawl for
her, papa," she whispered in his ear.
"Ah!" he said, smiling; "and which is my present? You had better point
it out, lest I should stumble upon it and learn the secret too soon."
"There is none here for you, sir," she replied, looking up into his
face with an arch smile. "I would give you the bundle you carried
up-stairs, just now, but I'm afraid you would say that was not mine to
give, because it belongs to you already."
"Indeed it does, and I feel richer in that possession than all the gold
of California could make me," he said, pressing her to his heart.
She looked surpassingly lovely at that moment, her cheeks burning, and
her eyes sparkling with excitement; the dark, fur-trimmed pelisse, and
the velvet hat and plumes, setting off to advantage the whiteness of
her pure complexion and the glossy ringlets falling in rich masses on
her shoulders.
"My own papa! I'm so glad I do belong to you," she said, throwing her
arms around his neck, and laying her cheek to his for an instant. Then
springing away, she added: "But I must show you the rest of the things;
there are a good many more."
And she went on opening bundle after bundle, displaying their contents,
and telling him for whom she intended them, until at last they had all
been examined, and then she said, a little wearily, "Now, mammy, please
put them all away until to-morrow. But first take off my things and get
me ready to go downstairs."
"No, daughter," Mr. Dinsmore said in a gentle but firm tone; "you are
not ready to have them put away until the price of each has been set
down in your book."
"Oh! papa," she pleaded, "won't to-morrow do? I'm tired now, and isn't
it almost tea-time?"
"No; never put off till to-morrow what may as well be done to-day.
There is nearly an hour yet before tea, and I do not think it need
fatigue you much."
Elsie's face clouded, and the slightest approach to a pout might have
been perceived.
"I hope my little girl is not going to be naughty," he said, very
gravely.
Her face brightened in an instant. "No, papa," she answered cheerfully,
"I will be good, and do whatever you bid me."
"That is my own darling," said he, "and I will help you, and it will
not take long."
He opened her writing-desk as he spoke, and took out her account-book.
"Oh! papa," she cried in a startled tone, springing forward and taking
hold of his hand, "please, please don't look! you know you said I need
not show you until after Christmas."
"No, I will not," he replied, smiling at her eagerness; "you shall put
down the items in the book, while I write the labels, and Aunt Chloe
pins them on. Will that do?"
"Oh! that's a nice plan, papa," she said gayly, as she threw off her
hat and pelisse, and seating herself before the desk, took out her pen
and ink.
Chloe put the hat and pelisse carefully away, brought a comb and brush,
and smoothed her nursling's hair, and then began her share of the
business on hand.
Half an hour's work finished it all, and Elsie wiped her pen, and laid
it away, saying joyously, "Oh! I'm so glad it is all done."
"Papa knew best, after all, did he not?" asked her father, drawing her
to him, and patting her cheek.
"Yes, papa," she said softly; "you always know best, and I am very
sorry I was naughty."
He answered with a kiss, and, taking her hand, led her down to the
drawing-room.
After tea the young people adjourned to the nursery, where they amused
themselves with a variety of innocent games. Quite early in the
evening, and greatly to Elsie's delight, her father joined them; and,
though some of the young strangers were at first rather shy of him,
they soon found that he could enter heartily into their sports, and
before the time came to separate for the night, he had made himself
very popular with nearly all.
Time flew fast, and Elsie was very much surprised when the clock struck
eight. Half-past was her bedtime; and, as she now and then glanced up
at the dial-plate, she thought the hands had never moved so fast. As it
struck the half hour she drew near her father's side.
"Papa," she asked, "is the clock right?"
"Yes, my dear, it is," he replied, comparing it with his watch.
"And must I go to bed now?" she asked, half hoping for permission to
stay up a little longer.
"Yes, daughter; keep to rules."
Elsie looked disappointed, and several little voices urged, "Oh, do let
her stay up another hour, or at least till nine o'clock."
"No; I cannot often allow a departure from rules," he said kindly, but
firmly; "and to-morrow night Elsie will find it harder to go to bed in
season than to-night. Bid your little friends good-night, my dear, and
go at once."
Elsie obeyed, readily and cheerfully. "You, too, papa," she said,
coming to him last.
"No, darling," he answered, laying his hand caressingly on her head,
and smiling approvingly on her; "I will come for my good-night kiss
before you are asleep."
Elsie looked very glad, and went away feeling herself the happiest
little girl in the land, in spite of the annoyance of being forced to
leave the merry group in the nursery. She was just ready for bed when
her papa came in, and, taking her in his arms, folded her to his heart,
saying, "My own darling! my good, obedient little daughter!"
"Dear papa, I love you so much!" she replied, twining her arms around
his neck, "I love you all the better for never letting me have my own
way, but always making me obey and keep to rules."
"I don't doubt it, daughter," he said, "for I have often noticed that
spoiled, petted children, usually have very little love for their
parents, or indeed for any one but themselves. But I must put you in
your bed, or you will be in danger of taking cold."
He laid her down, tucked the clothes snugly about her, and pressing one
more kiss on the round, rosy cheek, left her to her slumbers.