Elsie's Vacation and After Events

parting from his eldest hope, but as he entered the private parlor where his young wif

s in his usual agreeable way with Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore and the others; then glancing abo

me surprise, following the direction of his glance. "T

om where his little girls had slept the previous night, and there they were down on the carpet near a window, Gracie's head in her sister's lap, Lulu softly stroking the golden curls and saying in tender

bed Gracie; "at least I'm afraid he won't; and-and oh, I

us; but we have him all the time now," Lulu replied half chokingly. "I wish we c

ssing first one and then the other. "Be comforted, my darlings," he went on, holding them close to his heart; "we haven't lost our Maxie by any means; and though I left him fe

, and you, and all of us!" sobbed Gracie, hiding

re different from girls, and I think our dear Maxie will soon feel very happy there among his mates, though he

pleasant evenings at home-the good ta

what we will do to partly, at least

r head and looking up into his face

ing that goes on each day at home, and now and then send

hug and kiss. "And Maxie will write us nice, interesting letters; and

hink we will have interesting le

hen it's just to please Maxie and comfort him," sa

upon the sweet little tear-stained face. "But now, my dears," h

parlor, where they found the rest of the par

d a luxurious repast ready for them to partake of by the time outdoo

indulging in some innocent jest that made his little girls laugh in spite of themselves, and at length almost forget, for the moment, their parting from Max, and their grief over the tho

ons when they could be of service. Stars shone brightly in the sky overhead, but their light was not sufficient to give an extende

so with Lulu; her loneliness and depression banished sleep from her eyes for the time, and presently she slipped from her berth, threw on a warm dressing-

e at his side, her hand on his shoulder, her eyes fi

ing an arm about her waist, he drew her to his knee and pressed fatherly kisses upon lip and cheek and brow, asking tenderly

Maxie so!" The words were almost a sob, and she clung a

s trembled a little with the pain of the thought of Max left alone among strangers; "but I thank God, our Heavenly Father, that I ha

ng and kissing him over and over again. "Oh, I wish I was a better g

peating his caresses; "and it is a great comfort to me," he continued, "that m

spared to each other. I don't mean to ever go away from you, papa, but to stay with you always, to wait on you

to keep you as long as you may prefer life with me, my own dear, dear child," he said in tender tones. "I look upon my dear eldest d

fting to his eyes full of love and joy; "and oh, I do love you s

he replied. "I doubt neither you

"I have such a bad temper you know, papa, I'm so wilful too, that-that I'm afraid-almost sure,

would not diminish my love for you,"

to his embrace, "because I know that when you have to

ndeed!" he

times of being disobedient, wilful, and ill-tempered, and I am really thank

ile now since I have had any occasion to punish you, and yo

I'm sure I am much happier than I should be if you had let me go on indulging my bad temper and wilfulness. Oh, it's so nice to be able to run to my dear father whenever

le that he can't see Maxie?" he

and I mean to do all I can to supply his place.

The bugle-call for evening study-hour sounds at half-past seven,

"Ah, it is just nine o'clock," he said. "Kiss me