Elsies Girlhood | Page 4

"I think you always remember the command to be courteous, papa," she
said, looking affectionately into his face. "I was wondering all the time
how you could be so very polite to Miss Stevens; for I was quite sure
you would rather not have had her along. And then, what right had she
to take your arm without being asked?" and Elsie's face flushed with
indignation.
Her father laughed a little. "And thus deprive my little girl of her
rights," he said, softly kissing the glowing cheek. "Ah! I doubt if you
would have been angry had it been Miss Rose," he added, a little
mischievously.
"Oh, papa, you know Miss Rose would never have done such a thing!"
exclaimed the little girl warmly.
"Ah! well, dear," he said in a soothing tone; "we won't talk any more
about it. I acknowledge that I do not find Miss Stevens the most
agreeable company in the world, but I must treat her politely, and show
her a little attention sometimes; both because she is a lady and because
her father once saved my father's life; for which I owe a debt of
gratitude to him and his children."
"Did he, papa? I am sure it was very good of him, and I will try to like
Miss Stevens for that. But won't you tell me about it?"

"It was when they were both quite young men," said Mr. Dinsmore,
"before either of them was married: they were skating together and
your grandfather broke through the ice, and would have been drowned,
but for the courage and presence of mind of Mr. Stevens, who saved
him only by very great exertion, and at the risk of his own life."
A few days after this, Elsie was playing on the veranda, with several
other little girls. "Do you think you shall like your new mamma,
Elsie?" asked one of them in a careless tone, as she tied on an apron she
had just been making for her doll, and turned it around to see how it
fitted.
"My new mamma!" exclaimed Elsie, with unfeigned astonishment,
dropping the scissors with which she had been cutting paper dolls for
some of the little ones. "What can you mean, Annie? I am not going to
have any new mamma."
"Yes, indeed, but you are though," asserted Annie positively; "for I
heard my mother say so only yesterday; and it must be so, for she Miss
Stevens told it herself."
"Miss Stevens! and what does she know about it? what has she to do
with my papa's affairs?" asked Elsie indignantly, the color rushing over
face, neck, and arms.
"Well, I should think she might know, when she is going to marry
him," returned the other, with a laugh.
"She isn't! it's false! my"--but Elsie checked herself and shut her teeth
hard to keep down the emotion that was swelling in her breast.
"It's true, you may depend upon it," replied Annie; "everybody in the
house knows it, and they are all talking about what a splendid match
Miss Stevens is going to make; and mamma was wondering if you
knew it, and how you would like her; and papa said he thought Mr.
Dinsmore wouldn't think much of her if he knew how she flirted and
danced until he came, and now pretends not to approve of balls, just
because he doesn't."

Elsie made no reply, but dropping scissors, paper, and everything,
sprang up and ran swiftly along the veranda, through the hall, upstairs,
and without pausing to take breath, rushed into her father's room, where
he sat quietly reading.
"Why, Elsie, daughter, what is the matter?" he asked in a tone of
surprise and concern, as he caught sight of her flushed and agitated
face.
"Oh, papa, it's that hateful Miss Stevens; I can't bear her!" she cried,
throwing herself upon his breast, and bursting into a fit of passionate
weeping.
Mr. Dinsmore said nothing for a moment; but thinking tears would
prove the best relief to her overwrought feelings, contented himself
with simply stroking her hair in a soothing way, and once or twice
pressing his lips gently to her forehead.
"You feel better now, dearest, do you not?" he asked presently, as she
raised her head to wipe away her tears.
"Yes, papa."
"Now tell me what it was all about."
"Miss Stevens does say such hateful things, papa!"
He laid his finger upon her lips. "Don't use that word again. It does not
sound at all like my usually gentle sweet-tempered little girl."
"I won't, papa," she murmured, blushing and hanging her head. Then
hiding her face on his breast, she lay there for several minutes perfectly
silent and still.
"What is my little girl thinking of?" he asked at length.
"How everybody talks