"Don"t come out in the cold, daughter," he said, seeing the child about to follow.
Mammy had just come down with the sleeping babe in her arms, warmly wrapped up to shield her from the cold.
Elsie sprang to her side, lifted the veil that covered the little face, and softly touched her lips to the delicate cheek. "Good-bye, baby darling. Oh, mammy, we"ll miss her sadly and you too."
"Don"t fret, honey, "spect we all be comin" back soon," Aunt Chloe whispered, readjusting the veil, and hurrying after her mistress.
Elsie flew to the window, and watched the carriage roll away down the avenue, till lost to sight in the darkness, tears trembling in her eyes, but a thrill of joy mingling with her grief: "it was so sweet to be a comfort and help to dear mamma."
She set herself to considering how she might be the same to her father and brothers and sister; what she could do now.
She remembered that her father was very fond of music and that her mother often played and sang for him in the evenings. He had said he would probably return in an hour, and going to the piano she spent the intervening time in the diligent practice of a new piece of music he had brought her a day or two before.
At sound of the carriage wheels she ran to meet him, her face bright with welcoming smiles.
"My little sunbeam," he said taking her in his arms; "you have been nothing but a comfort and blessing to your mother and me, since the day you were born."
"Dear papa, how kind in you to tell me that!" she said, her cheek flushing and her eyes glistening with pleasure.
He kept her with him till after her usual hour for retiring, listening to, and praising her music and talking with her quite as if she were fit to be a companion for him.
Both the injured ones were very ill for some weeks, but by means of competent medical advice and careful nursing, their lives were saved; yet neither recovered entirely from the effects of the accident. Mr. Dinsmore was feeble and ailing, and walked with a limp for the rest of his days, and Enna, though her bodily health was quite restored, rose from her bed with an impaired intellect, her memory gone, her reasoning powers scarcely equal to those of an ordinary child of five or six.
She did not recognize her children, or indeed any one; she had everything to relearn and went back to childish amus.e.m.e.nts, dolls, baby-houses and other toys.
The sight was inexpressibly painful to d.i.c.k and Molly, far worse than following her to her grave.
She remained at her father"s, a capable and kind woman being provided to take constant charge of her, while Bob and Betty stayed on at the Oaks, their uncle and aunt bringing them up with all the care and kindness bestowed upon their own children; and d.i.c.k and Molly made their home at Ion.
The latter was removed thither as soon as the danger to her mother"s life was past, the change being considered only temporary at the time; though afterward it was decided to make it permanent, in accordance with the kind and generous invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Travilla to her and her brother, and their offer to become responsible for the education and present support of both.
Little Elsie, bravely and earnestly striving to fill her mother"s place in the household, making herself companionable to her father, helping Eddie, Vi and Harold with their lessons, comforting Herbie when his baby heart ached so sorely with its longing for mamma, and in all his little griefs and troubles, and settling the slight differences that would sometimes arise between the children or the servants, found Molly an additional burden; for she too must be cheered and consoled and was often fretful, unreasonable and exacting.
Still the little girl struggled on, now feebly and almost ready to despair, now with renewed hope and courage gathered from an interview with her earthly or her heavenly Father.
Mr. Travilla was very proud of the womanly way in which she acquitted herself at this time, her diligence, utter unselfishness, patience, and thoughtfulness for others, and did not withhold the meed of well earned praise; this with his advice and sympathy did much to enable her to persevere to the end.
But oh what relief and joy when at last the dear mother was restored to them and the unaccustomed burden lifted from the young shoulders!
It would have been impossible to say who rejoiced most heartily in the reunion, father, mother or children. But every heart leaped lightly, every face was bright with smiles.
Mrs. Travilla knew she was adding greatly to her cares, and to the annoyances and petty trials of every day life, in taking d.i.c.k and especially Molly into her family, but she realized it more and more as the months and years rolled on; both had been so spoiled by Enna"s unwise and capricious treatment, that it was a difficult thing to control them; and poor Molly"s sad affliction caused her frequent fits of depression which rendered her a burden to herself and to others; also she inherited to some extent, her mother"s infirmities of temper, and her envy, jealousy and unreasonableness made her presence in the family a trial to her young cousins.
The mother had to teach patience, meekness and forbearance by precept and example, ever holding up as the grand motive, love to Jesus, and a desire to please and honor him.
Such constant sowing of the good seed, such patient, careful weeding out of the tares, such watchfulness and prayerfulness as Elsie bestowed upon the children G.o.d had given her, could not fail of their reward from him who has said, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap"; and as the years rolled on she had the unspeakable joy of seeing her darlings one after another gathered into the fold of the Good Shepherd;--consecrating themselves in the dew of their youth to the service of him who had loved them and washed them from their sins in his own blood.
She was scarcely less earnest and persistent in her efforts to promote the welfare, temporal and spiritual, of Molly and d.i.c.k. She far more than supplied the place of the mother now almost worse than lost to them.
They had always liked and respected her; they soon learned to love her dearly and grew happier and more lovable under the refining, elevating influence of her conduct and conversation.
She and her husband gave to both the best advantages for education that money could procure, aroused in them the desire, and stimulated them to earnest efforts to become useful members of society.
Elsie soon discovered that one grand element of Molly"s depression was the thought that she was cut off from all the activities of life and doomed, by her sad affliction, to be a useless burden upon others.
"My poor dear child!" she said clasping the weeping girl in her arms, "that would be a sad fate indeed, but it need not be yours; there are many walks of usefulness still open to you; literature, several of the arts and sciences, music, painting, authorship; to say nothing of needle work both plain and fancy. The first thing will be a good education in the ordinary acceptation of the term--and that you can take as easily as one who has use of all her limbs. Books and masters shall be at your command, and when you have decided to what employment you will especially devote yourself, every facility shall be given you for perfecting yourself in it."
"O Cousin Elsie," cried the girl, her eyes shining, "do you think I could ever write books, or paint pictures? I mean such as would be really worth the doing; such as would make d.i.c.k proud of me and perhaps give me money to help him with; because you know the poor fellow must make his own way in the world."
"I scarcely know how to answer that question," Elsie said, smiling at her sudden enthusiasm, "but I do know that patience and perseverance will do wonders, and if you practice them faithfully, it will not surprise me to see you some day turn out a great author or artist.
"But don"t fret because d.i.c.k has not a fortune to begin with. Our very n.o.blest and most successful men have been those who had to win their way by dint of hard and determined struggling with early disadvantages. "Young trees root the faster for shaking!"" she added with a smile.
"Oh then d.i.c.k will succeed, I know, dear, n.o.ble fellow!" cried Molly flushing with sisterly pride.
From that time she took heart and though there were occasional returns of despondency and gloom she strove to banish them and was upon the whole, brave, cheerful and energetic in carrying out the plans her cousin had suggested.
CHAPTER SIXTEENTH.
"It is as if the night should shade noonday, Or that the sun was here, but forced away; And we were left, under that hemisphere, Where we must feel it dark for half a year."
--BEN. JOHNSON.
Since the events recorded in our last chapter, six years have rolled their swift, though noiseless round, ere we look in upon our friends again; six years bringing such changes as they must;--growth and development to the very young, a richer maturity, a riper experience to those who had already attained to adult life, and to the aged, increasing infirmities, reminding them that their race is nearly run; it may be so with others; it must be so with them.
There have been gains and losses, sickness and other afflictions, but death has not yet entered any of their homes.
At Ion, the emerald, velvety lawn, the grand old trees, the sparkling lakelet, the flower gardens and conservatories gay with rich autumn hues, were looking their loveliest, in the light of a fair September morning.
The sun was scarcely an hour high, and except in the region of the kitchen and stables quiet reigned within and without the mansion; doors and windows stood wide open, and servants were busied here and there cleaning and setting in order for the day, but without noise or bustle. In the avenue before the front entrance, stood Solon with the pretty grey ponies, Prince and Princess, ready saddled and bridled, while on the veranda sat a tall, dark-eyed, handsome youth, a riding whip in one hand, the other gently stroking and patting the head of Bruno, as it rested on his knee; the dog receiving the caress with demonstrations of delight.
A light, springing step pa.s.sed down the broad stairway, crossed the hall, and a slender fairy-like form appeared in the doorway. It was Violet, now thirteen, and already a woman in height; though the innocent childlike trust in the sweet fair face and azure eyes, told another tale.
"Good-morning, Eddie," she said. "I am sorry to have kept you waiting."
"Oh, good-morning," he cried, jumping up and turning toward her. "No need for apology, Vi, I"ve not been here over five minutes."
He handed her gallantly to the saddle, then mounted himself.
"Try to cheer up, little sister; one should not be sad such a lovely morning as this," he said, as they trotted down the avenue side by side.
"Oh, Eddie," she answered, with tears in her voice, "I do try, but I can"t yet; it isn"t like home without them."
"No; no indeed, Vi; how could it be? Mr. and Mrs. Daly are very kind, yet not in the least like our father and mother; but it would be impossible for any one to take their places in our hearts or home."
"The only way to feel at all reconciled, is to keep looking forward to the delight of seeing them return with our darling Lily well and strong," Vi said, struggling bravely with her tears; and Eddie answered, "I cannot help hoping that may be, in spite of all the discouraging things the doctors have said."