"You--you bad, troublesome, wicked boy! I could shake the very life out of you!" she hissed through her shut teeth, suiting the action to the word. "A pretty mess you"ve made of it, you and Walter. Your birthday coming next week too; there"ll be no presents from Ion for you, you may rest a.s.sured. I hoped Mr. Travilla would send you each a handsome suit, as he did last year; but of course you"ll get nothing now."
"Well, I don"t care," muttered d.i.c.k, "it"s your fault for making the ugly things." And freeing himself by a sudden jerk, he darted from the room.
Children and servants had trooped after Mr. Dinsmore to witness the conflagration, and d.i.c.k"s sudden exit left the ladies sole occupants of the apartment.
"I declare it"s too bad! too provoking for endurance!" exclaimed Enna, bursting into a flood of angry tears.
"What"s the use of taking it so hard?" returned her sister.
"You"re a perfect iceberg," retorted Enna.
"That accounts for my not crying over our misfortune, I presume; my tears being all frozen up," returned Mrs. Conly with an exasperating smile. "Well there is comfort in all things: we may now congratulate ourselves that Foster and Boyd did not wait for these but supplied themselves elsewhere."
There was a difference of two years in the ages of d.i.c.k Percival and Walter Conly, but they were born on the same day of the same month, and their birthday would occur in less than a week.
"I say, Wal, what precious fools we"ve been," remarked d.i.c.k as the two were preparing to retire that night; "why didn"t we remember how near it was to our birthday? Of course, as mother says, there"ll be no presents from Ion this time."
"No, and I wish I"d never seen the hateful things," grumbled Walter, "but there"s no use crying over spilt milk."
"No; and we"ll pretend we don"t care a cent. Mother sha"n"t have the satisfaction of knowing that I do anyhow;" and d.i.c.k whistled a lively tune as he pulled off his boots and tossed them into a corner.
At about the same time Elsie and her husband, seated alone together in their veranda, were conversing on the same subject. Mr. Travilla introduced it. They had been regretting the effect of the fright of the evening upon their children--Vi especially as the one predisposed to undue excitement of the brain--yet hoping it might not prove lasting.
Elsie had just returned from seeing them to bed. "I left them much calmed and comforted," she said, "by our little talk together of G.o.d"s constant watch over us, His all-power and His protecting care and love; and by our prayer that He would have them in his keeping."
He pressed her hand in silence; then presently remarked, "The birthday of those boys is near at hand. They certainly deserve no remembrance from us; but how do you feel about it?"
"Just as my n.o.ble, generous husband does," she said, looking up into his face with a proud, fond smile.
"Ah! and how is that?"
"Like giving them a costlier and more acceptable present than ever before; thus "heaping coals of fire upon their heads.""
"And what shall it be?"
"Whatever you think they would prefer, and would not that be a pony a-piece?"
"No doubt of it; and I will try to procure two worth having, before the day comes round."
Talking with her little ones the next morning, Elsie told them of the near approach of the birthday of d.i.c.k and Walter, spoke of the duty of forgiveness and the return of good for evil, and asked who of them would like to make their cousins some nice present.
"I should, mamma," said little Elsie.
Eddie looked up into his mother"s face, dropped his head, and blushing deeply muttered, "I"d rather flog them like papa and Cal did."
"So would I; they"re naughty boys!" cried Vi, the tears starting to her eyes at the remembrance of the panic of fear their conduct had cost herself, brothers and sister.
Their mother explained that it was papa"s duty to protect his children from injury, and that that was why he had flogged naughty d.i.c.k; but now he had forgiven him and was going to return good for evil, as the Bible bids us. "And you must forgive them too, dears, if you want G.o.d to forgive you," she concluded; "for Jesus says, "If you forgive not men their trespa.s.ses, neither will your Father forgive your trespa.s.ses.""
"I can"t, mamma: I don"t love them," said Eddie, stoutly.
"Ask G.o.d to help you, then, my son."
"But mamma, I can"t ask him with my heart, "cause I don"t want to love them or forgive them."
"Can my boy do without G.o.d"s forgiveness? without Jesus" love?" she asked, drawing him to her side. "You feel very unhappy when papa or mamma is offended with you, and can you bear your heavenly Father"s frown?"
"Don"t look so sorry, dear mamma: I love you ever so much," he said, putting his arms about her neck and kissing her again and again.
"I cannot be happy while my dear little son indulges such sinful feelings," she said, softly smoothing his hair, while a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Mamma, how can I help it?"
"Try to think kind thoughts of your cousins, do them all the kindness you can, and ask G.o.d to bless them, and to help you to love them. I want my little Vi to do so too," she added, turning to her.
"Mamma, I will; I don"t "tend to say cross things "bout "em any more,"
Violet answered impulsively; "and I"ll give "em the nicest present I can get with all my pocket-money."
"Mamma, must I give them presents?" asked Eddie.
"No, son, I do not say must; you shall decide for yourself whether you ought, and whether you will."
"Mamma, they made me hurt my dear father."
"No, Eddie, no one can _make_ us do wrong; we choose for ourselves whether we will resist temptation or yield to it."
"Mamma, what shall we give," asked the little girls.
"Talk it over between yourselves, daughters, decide how much you are willing to spend on them, and what your cousins would probably like best. I want my children to think and choose for themselves, where it is proper that they should."
"But mamma, you will "vise us."
"Yes, Vi, you may consult me, and shall have the benefit of my opinion."
The little girls held several private consultations during the day, and in the evening came with a report to their mother. Elsie was willing to appropriate five dollars to the purpose, Vi three, and the gifts were to be books, if mamma approved, and would help them select suitable ones.
"I think you have decided wisely," she said, "and as it is too warm for us to drive to the city, we will ask papa to order a variety sent out here, and he and I will help you in making a choice."
Eddie was standing by. Nothing had been said to him on the subject, since his morning talk with his mother, but all day he had been unusually quiet and thoughtful.
"Mamma," he now said, coming close to her side, "I"ve been trying to forgive them, and I"m going to buy two riding whips, one for d.i.c.k, and one for Wal; if you and papa like me to."
Her smile was very sweet and tender as she commended his choice, and told him his resolve had made her very happy.
The birthday found d.i.c.k and Walter in sullen, discontented mood, spite of their resolve not to care for the loss of all prospect of gifts in honor of the anniversary.
"What"s the use of getting up?" growled d.i.c.k, "it"s an awful bore, the way we"ve been sent to Coventry ever since we got into that sc.r.a.pe with the young ones. I"ve a great mind to lie a-bed and pretend sick; just to scare mother and pay her off for her crossness."
"Maybe you might get sick in earnest," suggested Walter. "I"m going to get up anyhow," and he tumbled out upon the floor, "for it"s too hot to lie in bed. Hark! there"s Pomp coming up the stairs to call us now. Why, what"s all that, Pomp?" as the servant rapped, then pushing open the door, handed in a number of brown paper parcels.