Elsies Kith and Kin

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Elsie's Kith and Kin

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Title: Elsie's Kith and Kin
Author: Martha Finley
Release Date: December 27, 2004 [eBook #14488]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ELSIE'S
KITH AND KIN***
E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan, and the Project
Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN

by
MARTHA FINLEY
1886
CHAPTER I.
"O married love! each heart shall own; Where two congenial souls
unite, Thy golden chains inlaid with down, Thy lamp with heaven's
own splendor bright." LANGHORNE.
"There, there, little woman! light of my eyes, and core of my heart! if
you don't stop this pretty soon, I very much fear I shall be compelled to
join you," Edward Travilla said, between a laugh and a sigh, drawing
Zoe closer to him, laying her head against his breast, and kissing her
tenderly on lip and cheek and brow. "I shall begin to think you already
regret having staid behind with me."
"No, no, no!" she cried, dashing away her tears, then putting her arms
about his neck, and returning his caresses with ardor of affection. "Dear
Ned, you know you're more than all the rest of the world to your silly
little wife. But it seems lonely just at first, to have them all gone at
once, especially mamma; and to think we'll not see her again for
months! I do believe you'd cry yourself, if you were a girl."
"Altogether likely," he said, laughing, and giving her another hug; "but,
being a man, it wouldn't do at all to allow my feelings to overcome me
in that manner. Besides, with my darling little wife still left me, I'd be
an ungrateful wretch to repine at the absence of other dear ones."
"What a neat little speech, Ned!" she exclaimed, lifting her head to look
up into his face, and laughing through her tears--for her eyes had filled
again. "Well, you know I can't help feeling a little lonely and sad just at
first; but, for all that, I wouldn't for the world be anywhere else than
here in your arms:" and with a sigh of content and thankfulness, she let
her pretty head drop upon his breast again.

"My darling! may it ever be to you the happiest place on earth! God
helping me, I shall always try to make it so," he said, with a sudden
change to gravity, and in low, moved tones.
"My dear, dear husband!" she murmured, clinging closer to him.
Then, wiping her eyes, "I sha'n't cry any more; for, if I'm not the
happiest woman in the world, I ought to be. And what a nice time we
shall have together, dear Ned! each wholly devoted to the other all
winter long. I have it all planned out: while you are out about the
plantation in the mornings, I'll attend to my housekeeping and my
studies; and in the afternoons and evenings,--after I've recited,--we can
write our letters, or entertain ourselves and each other with music or
books; you can read to me while I work, you know."
"Yes: a book is twice as enjoyable read in that way--sharing the
pleasure with you," he said, softly stroking her hair, and smiling down
into her eyes.
"Especially if it is a good story, or a bit of lovely poetry," she added.
"Yes," he said: "we'll have both those in turn, and some solid reading
besides."
"I don't like solid reading," she returned, with a charming pout.
"One may cultivate a taste for it, I think," he answered pleasantly.
"But you can't cultivate what you haven't got," she objected.
"True enough," he said, laughing. "Well, then, we'll try to get a little
first, and cultivate it carefully afterward. I must go now, love," he
added, releasing her: "the men need some directions from me, in regard
to their work."
"And the women some from me," said Zoe. "Oh! you needn't laugh,
Ned," shaking her finger at him, as he turned in the doorway to give her
an amused glance: "perhaps some of these days you'll find out that I am

really an accomplished housewife, capable of giving orders and
directions too."
"No doubt, my dear; for I am already proud of you in that capacity," he
said, throwing her a smiling kiss, then hurrying away.
Zoe summoned Aunt Dicey, the housekeeper, gave her orders for the
day,