The Two Elsies | Page 8

"No; I ought not," acknowledged Evelyn; "papa never does; at least not
to me. Mamma said she thought we could entertain you for a short time,
and we mean to do our best."
"Yes, dear child; but we must not allow your father to exert himself to
that end; we did not come to be entertained, but to try to be of use to
him."
"It was very kind," said Evelyn, gratefully; "it must have been quite a
sacrifice, for you to leave that beautiful Nantucket so soon after
arriving there; I know about it, because we were there two summers
ago, and I could hardly bear to come away."
"It is very pleasant there, but so it is here also," responded Elsie.
Evelyn looked much pleased. "I am glad you like it, Aunt Elsie," she
said. "I think it the dearest spot on earth; but then it has always been my
home."
"You are justly partial to it, Evelyn," Elsie said, "for it is a sweet spot."
"Thank you. Our dinner will be ready in about an hour from now; but
don't take the trouble to dress, there will be no one but ourselves,"
Evelyn said, retiring.
Elsie was not sorry to learn that her sister-in-law was absent from home;
for though neither really disliked the other, they were not congenial;
their opinions, their tastes, their views of life, its pleasures and its
duties, were so widely different that they could have but little in
common.
A proud, self-important woman would have taken offence at the lack of
hospitality and consideration shown her in the failure of the mistress of
the house to be present with a welcome on her arrival, but such was not

Elsie's character. She had but a humble opinion of her own importance
and her own deserts, so very readily excused and overlooked the
neglect.
But his wife's conduct was very mortifying to Eric, as he showed in his
apology for her, on Elsie's rejoining him and Lester on the porch.
Elsie accepted his excuses very sweetly, assuring him that she expected
to find much enjoyment in his society, her husband's, and Evelyn's, and
would have been very sorry had Laura returned home for her sake
before her visit to Newport was completed.
Evelyn, too, felt much chagrin on account of the lack of courtesy and
hospitality in her mother's behavior toward these relatives, esteemed by
herself and her father as worthy of all honor. She made no remark
about it to either of them, but tried very earnestly to fill her mother's
place as hostess during her absence.
She was a very womanly little girl, with a quaint, old-fashioned manner
which Elsie thought quite charming. It was touching to see the devoted
affection with which she hovered over and waited upon her sick father.
She was seldom absent from his side for more than a few minutes at a
time, except when he sent her out for air and exercise.
Elsie usually accompanied her on her walks and drives, while Lester
remained with his brother.
Eric seized these opportunities to open his heart to Lester in regard to
the future of his only and beloved child, his one great anxiety in the
prospect of death.
"I cannot leave her to her mother's care," he said, with a sigh and a look
of anguish. "It is a sad, a humiliating thing to say in regard to one's wife,
but I have been sorely disappointed in my choice of a partner for life.
"We married for love, and she is very dear to me still, but our tastes and
views are widely dissimilar. She has no relish for the quiet pleasures of
home, finds the duties of a wife and mother extremely irksome, and is

not content unless living in a constant whirl of excitement, a
never-ending round of pleasure-parties, balls, concerts, and other
fashionable amusements.
"I cannot join her in it; and so, for years past, we have gone our
separate ways.
"Evelyn, her mother having no time to bestow upon her, has been left
almost entirely to me, and I have earnestly striven to train her up to a
noble Christian womanhood; to cultivate her mind and heart, and give
her a taste for far higher pleasures than those to be found in the giddy
whirl of fashionable follies.
"I think I have already succeeded to some extent; but she is so young
that, of course, much of the work yet remains to be done; and Laura is
not the person to carry it on; also, I think, would not covet the task.
"Lester, if you will undertake her guardianship and receive her into
your family, to be brought up under the influence of your lovely wife
and mother-in-law, I shall die happy. Would it be