Elsie's Womanhood

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER TWENTIETH.

  "There are smiles and tears in the mother's eyes For her new-born babe beside her lies; Oh, heaven of bliss! when the heart o'erflows With the rapture a _mother_ only knows!" --HENRY WARE, JR.

  Mrs. Travilla was laid to rest in their own family burial-ground, her dustsleeping beside that of her husband, and children who had died in infancy;and daily her surviving son carried his little daughter thither to scatterflowers upon "dear grandma's grave."

  It was not easy to learn to live without the dear mother; they missed herconstantly. Yet was their sorrow nearly swallowed up in joy for her--theblessed dead who had departed to be with Christ in glory and to go no moreout forever from that blissful presence.

  Their house was not made dark and gloomy, the sunlight and sweet springair entered freely as of yore. Nor did they suffer gloom to gather intheir hearts or cloud their faces. Each was filled with thankfulness forthe spared life of the other, and of their darling little daughter.

  And scarce a week had passed away since heaven's portals opened wide tothe ransomed soul, when a new voice--that of a son and heir--was heard inthe old home, and many hearts rejoiced in the birth of the beautiful boy.

  "God has sent him to comfort you in your sorrow, dearest," Elsiewhispered, as her husband brought the babe--fresh from its first robing byAunt Chloe's careful hands--and with a very proud and happy face laid itin her arms.

  "Yes," he said, in moved tones. "Oh, that men would praise the Lord forHis goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

  "If mother could only have seen him!" And tears gathered in the soft,sweet eyes of the young mother gazing so tenderly upon the tiny face onher arm.

  "She will, one day, I trust; I have been asking for this new darling thathe may be an heir of glory: that he may early be gathered into the fold ofthe good Shepherd."

  "And I, too," she said, "have besought my precious Saviour to be the Godof my children also from their birth."

  "What do you intend to call your son?"

  "What do you?" she asked, smiling up at him.

  "Horace, for your father, if you like."

  "And I had thought of Edward, for his father and yours. Horace Edward.Will that do?"

  "I am satisfied, if you are. But Edward would do for the next."

  "But he may never come to claim it," she said, laughing. "Is papa in thehouse?"

  "Yes, and delighted to learn that he has a grandson."

  "Oh, bring him here and let me see the first meeting between them."

  "Can you bear the excitement?"

  "I promise not to be excited; and it _always_ does me good to see my dearfather."

  Mr. Dinsmore came softly in, kissed very tenderly the pale face on thepillow, then took a long look at the tiny pink one nestling to her side.

  "Ah, isn't he a beauty? I have made you two grand-fathers now, you dearpapa!" she said, indulging in a little jest to keep down the emotionstugging at her heart-strings. "Do you begin to feel old and decrepit, _monpere_?"

  "Not very," he said smiling, and softly smoothing her hair; "not more soto-day than I did yesterday. But now I must leave you to rest and sleep.Try, my darling, for all our sakes, to be very prudent, very calm andquiet."

  "I will, papa; and don't trouble about me. You know I am in good hands.Ah, stay a moment! here is Edward bringing wee bit Elsie to take her firstpeep at her little brother."

  "Mamma," cried the child; stretching out her little arms towards the bed,"mamma, take Elsie."

  "Mamma can't, darling; poor mamma is so sick," said Mr. Travilla; "staywith papa."

  "But she shall kiss her mamma, dear, precious little pet," Elsie said."Please hold her close for a minute, papa, and let her kiss her mother."

  He complied under protest, in which Mr. Dinsmore joined, that he feared itwould be too much for her; and the soft baby hands patted the wan cheeks,the tiny rosebud mouth was pressed again and again to the pale lips withrapturous cooings, "Mamma, mamma!"

  "There, pet, that will do," said her father. "Now, see what mamma has foryou."

  "Look, mother's darling," Elsie said with a glad smile, exposing to viewthe tiny face by her side.

  "Baby!" cried the little girl, with a joyous shout, clapping her chubbyhands, "pretty baby Elsie take"; and the small arms were held outentreatingly.

  "No, Elsie is too little to hold it," said her papa; "but she may kiss itvery softly."

  The child availed herself of the permission, then gently patting thenewcomer, repeated her glad cry, "Baby, pretty baby."

  "Elsie's little brother," said her mamma, tenderly. "Now, dearest, letmammy take her away," she added, sinking back on her pillows with a wearysigh.

  He complied, then bent over her with a look of concern. "I should not havebrought her in," he said anxiously; "it has been too much for you."

  "But I wanted so to see her delight. One more kiss, papa, before you go,and then I'll try to sleep."

  Elsie did not recover so speedily and entirely as before, after the birthof her first babe; and those to whom she was so dear grew anxious andtroubled about her.

  "You want change, daughter," Mr. Dinsmore said, coming in one morning andfinding her lying pale and languid on a sofa; "and we are all longing tohave you at home. Do you feel equal to a drive over to the Oaks?"

  "I think I do, papa," she answered, brightening. "Edward took me for ashort drive yesterday, and I felt better for it."

  "Then, dearest, come home to your father's house and stay there as long asyou can; bring babies and nurses and come. Your own suite of rooms isquite ready for you," he said, caressing her tenderly.

  "Ah, papa, how nice to go back and feel at home in my own father's houseagain," she said, softly stroking his head with her thin white hand as hebent over her, the sweet soft eyes, gazing full into his, brimming overwith love and joy. "I shall go, if Edward doesn't object. I'd like tostart this minute. But you haven't told me how poor mamma is to-day?"

  "Not well, not very much stronger than you are, I fear," he answered, witha slight sigh. "But your coming will do her a world of good. Where isTravilla?"

  "Here, and quite at your service," replied Mr. Travilla's cheery voice, ashe came in from the garden with his little daughter in his arms.

  He set her down, and while he exchanged greetings with Mr. Dinsmore, sheran to her mother with a bouquet of lovely sweet-scented spring blossomsthey had been gathering "for mamma."

  "Thank you, mother's darling," Elsie said, accepting the gift and tenderlycaressing the giver; "you and papa, too. But see who is here?"

  The child turned to look, and with a joyous cry "G'anpa!" ran into hisoutstretched arms.

  "Grandpa's own wee pet," he said, hugging the little form close andcovering the baby face with kisses. "Will you come and live with grandpain his home for awhile?"

  "Mamma? papa too?" she asked, turning a wistful look on them.

  "Oh, yes; yes indeed, mamma and papa too."

  "Baby?"

  "Yes, baby and mammies and all. Will you come?"

  "May Elsie, mamma?"

  "Yes, pet; we will all go, if your papa is willing." And her soft eyessought her husband's face with a look of love and confidence that said shewell knew he would never deny her any good in his power to bestow.

  "I have been proposing to my daughter to take possession again, for aslong a time as she finds it convenient and agreeable, of her old suite ofrooms at the Oaks. I think the change would do her good, and perhaps youand the little ones also," Mr. Dinsmore explained.

  "Thank you; I think it would. When will you go, little wife?"

  "Papa proposes taking me at once."

  "My carriage is at the door, and this is the pleasantest part of the day,"remarked Mr. Dinsmore.

  "Ah, yes; then take Elsie with you, and I will follow shortly withchildren and servants. There is no reason in the world why she should notgo, if she wishes, and stay as long as she likes."

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nbsp; The change proved beneficial to Elsie; it was so pleasant to find herselfagain a member of her father's family; and that even without a shortseparation from her husband and little ones.

  Here, too, absent from the scenes so closely associated with the memory ofher beloved mother-in-law, she dwelt less upon her loss, while at the sametime she was entertained and cheered by constant intercourse with father,Rose, and young brother and sister. It was indeed a cheering thing to allparties to be thus brought together for a time as one family in delightfulsocial intercourse.

  Yet, though the invalids improved in spirits, and to some extent in otherrespects, they did not regain their usual strength, and the physiciansrecommending travel, particularly a sea voyage, it was finally decided toagain visit Europe for an indefinite period, the length of their stay todepend upon circumstances.

  It was in June, 1860, they left their homes; and traveling northward, paida short visit to relatives and friends in Philadelphia; then took thesteamer for Europe.

  A few weeks later found them cozily established in a handsome villaoverlooking the beautiful bay of Naples.

  They formed but one family here as at the Oaks; each couple having theirown private suite of apartments, while all other rooms were used in commonand their meals taken together; an arrangement preferred by all; Mr.Dinsmore and his daughter especially rejoicing in it, as giving themalmost as much of each other's society as before her marriage.

  In this lovely spot they planned to remain for some months, perchance ayear; little dreaming that five years would roll their weary round erethey should see home and dear native land again.