Elsie at Home | Page 3

as she stretched her tired
limbs upon it.
"I am very glad you find it so, mother dear," said Evelyn. "And now, if
you like, I will unpack your trunks and arrange their contents in

wardrobe, bureau drawers, and closet."
"There is no hurry about that, and isn't that your supper bell I hear?"
"Yes'm, suppah's on de table, an' I's come to set yere and 'tend to you
uns while Miss Eva gwine eat wif de res' of de folks," said a neatly
dressed, pleasant-faced, elderly coloured woman, who had entered the
room just in time to hear the query in regard to the bell. "But, missus,
Miss Elsie she tole me for to ax you could you take somethin' mo'?"
"She says Aunt Elsie wants to know could you eat something more,
mother dear?" explained Eva, seeing a puzzled look on her mother's
face.
"Oh, no! that excellent broth fully satisfied my appetite," replied Laura.
"Go and get your supper, Eva, child, but come back when you have
finished; for we have been so long separated that now I can hardly bear
to have you out of my sight."
"Oh, mother, how sweet to hear you say that!" exclaimed Evelyn,
bending down to bestow another ardent caress upon her newly restored
parent. "Indeed, I shall not stay away a moment longer than necessary."
The new arrival and her sad condition were the principal topics of
conversation at the table.
"I am so glad we have such a good doctor in Cousin Arthur," said
Evelyn. "I hope he can cure mamma's cough. I wish the weather was
such that we could reasonably ask him to come and see her to-night,"
she added with a sigh.
"Yes," said her uncle, "but as it is so bad I think we will just give him a
full account of her symptoms and ask his advice through the telephone.
Then he will tell us what would better be done to-night, and call in to
see her to-morrow morning."
The ladies all agreed that that would be the better plan and it was
presently carried out. The doctor would have come at once, in spite of

the storm, had it seemed necessary, but from the account given he
deemed it not so.
"I will come directly after breakfast to-morrow morning," he concluded,
after giving his advice in regard to what should be done immediately.
"That is satisfactory; and now I will go at once to mamma and carry out
his directions for to-night," said Evelyn.
"Remembering that we are all ready to assist in any and every possible
way," added her uncle, smiling kindly upon her.
"Yes, indeed!" said Grandma Elsie; "and you must not hesitate to call
upon me if you need help."
"No, no, mother dear. I put my veto upon that!" exclaimed Mrs. Leland.
"You are not a really old-looking woman yet, but are not as vigorous as
you were some years ago, and I cannot afford to let you run any risk of
diminishing your stock of health and strength by loss of sleep or
over-exertion. Call upon me, Eva, should you need any assistance."
"Very well, daughter, I shall not insist upon the privilege of losing
sleep," returned Grandma Elsie with a smile, "but may perhaps be
permitted to make myself slightly useful during the day."
"Yes, slightly, mother dear, and at such time as you would not be
otherwise improving by taking needed rest or recreation," Mrs. Leland
replied as she hastened away with Eva, with the purpose to make sure
that her newly arrived guest lacked for nothing which she could
provide.
"At last, Evelyn, child! I suppose you have not been long gone, but it
seemed so to my impatience," was Laura's salutation as Eva reentered
her room.
"It is sweet to hear you say that, mother dear; sweet to know that you
love me so," Evelyn said in moved tones, bending down to press a kiss
on the wan cheek, "and I mean to fairly surfeit you with my company

in the days and weeks that lie before us."
"And she only waited with the rest of us to consult our good doctor for
you, Laura," added Mrs. Leland. "He has prescribed a sleeping potion
for to-night, and will call to see you and prescribe further in the
morning."
"I think I should have been consulted," returned the invalid in a tone of
irritation; "my money is all gone and he may never get his pay."
"Oh, don't trouble about that!" exclaimed Mrs. Leland and Evelyn in a
breath, the former adding, "His charges are not heavy and it will be
strange indeed if we cannot find a way to meet and defray them."
"Of course we can and will, and you are not to concern yourself any