Mildred's New Daughter, Page 2

  CHAPTER II.

  "Oh, papa is better, dear, dear papa!" cried Ethel, jumping and dancingin delight.

  "Oh, I'm so glad! I'm so glad!" cried Blanche and Harry in chorus.

  "I so blad! I so blad!" echoed Nannette. "But I don't want to doe home,Ethel; I'se tired."

  "Then we'll go and sit down a while under the trees by the little brookover yonder," returned Ethel in soothing tones. "You will like that,Blanche and Harry, won't you?"

  A ready assent was given, and all three turned aside and spent an houror more in the pleasant spot, rolling on the grass, picking flowers,throwing them into the water, and watching them sail away out of sight.

  At length Nannette began fretting. "I so tired, so s'eepy. Me wants todoe home see papa and mamma."

  "So you shall, Nan. I want to see them, too," returned Ethel, rising andtaking her little sister's hand as she spoke. "Come, Blanche and Harry."

  "Yes, I'm ready," said Harry, flinging the last pebble into the water."I want to see papa and mamma; 'sides I'm hungry for my lunch."

  "So am I," said Blanche, and they followed on behind Ethel and the babysister, laughing and chatting merrily as they went.

  Myra met the little party at the gate, her eyes red with weeping.

  "O Myra, what's the matter?" asked Ethel in alarm.

  "Never mind," returned the little maid evasively. "Your lunch is ready,and you'd best come and eat first thing, 'cause I know you must behungry."

  So saying she led the way into the house and on to the dining room.

  They had come in with appetites sharpened by exercise in the open air,and were too busy satisfying them to indulge in much chatter. Nannetteat length fell asleep in her chair and was carried to her bed by Myra,whither Harry presently followed her.

  "Has mamma had her lunch yet, Myra?" asked Ethel.

  Myra seemed not to have heard, and the question was repeated.

  "No, miss," she replied, and Ethel noticed a suspicious tremble in hervoice.

  "O Myra, I hope mamma isn't sick," exclaimed the little girl. "She hasbeen looking so pale of late!"

  "She--she's lying down--asleep," Miss Ethel, Myra returned withdifficulty, swallowing a lump in her throat and hurrying from the room.

  "How oddly Myra acts! and she looks as if she'd been crying ever so longand hard," remarked Ethel, half to herself, half to Blanche.

  But Blanche had thrown herself on the bed beside the two little ones,and was so nearly asleep that she scarcely heard or heeded.

  Ethel seated herself in a large easy-chair by the window with a book inher hand; but all being so quiet within and without the house, she too,rather weary with the walk and sports of the morning, was presentlywandering in the land of dreams.

  She was roused from her slumber by someone bending over her and softlypressing a kiss upon her forehead. Her eyes opened and looked up intothe kind face of Mrs. Rogers, the vicar's wife.

  "Oh, I thought it was mamma!" exclaimed the little girl in a tone ofkeen disappointment.

  "No, dear, but I kissed you for her--your dear mother," returned the ladywith emotion.

  "But why didn't mamma come herself?" asked Ethel, growing frightenedthough she could scarcely have told why. "You are very kind, Mrs.Rogers, but oh, I do want mamma! Can I go to her now?" She sprang to herfeet as she spoke.

  "My poor child, my poor dear little girl," the lady said tremulously,seating herself and drawing Ethel into her arms.

  "Oh, ma'am, why do you say that?" queried Ethel in terror. "Is anythingthe matter with mamma? is papa worse? Oh, what shall I do? Can't I go tothem now? I'll be very quiet and good."

  "Oh, my child, my poor dear child, how shall I tell you!" cried thelady, folding the little girl close in her arms, while great tearschased each other down her cheeks. "Your dear father has gone to hisheavenly home, Ethel, and to the dear Saviour whom he loved and servedwhile here upon earth."

  "Do you mean that papa is dead?" almost shrieked Ethel. "Oh, oh, mypapa, my dear papa!" and hiding her face in her hands she sobbedviolently for a moment.

  "But I must go to mamma!" she cried, dashing away her tears; "she willbe wanting me to comfort her, for there's nobody else to do it now. Oh,let me go! I must!" as Mrs. Rogers held her fast.

  "No, dear child," she said with emotion, "your mamma does not need youor any other earthly comforter now, for God Himself has wiped away alltears from her eyes and she will never know sin or sorrow or sufferingany more."

  A dazed look up into the lady's face was Ethel's only rejoinder for amoment, then she stammered, "I--I don't know what you mean, ma'am.I--I--mamma has taught me that it is only in heaven there is no sin orsorrow or pain."

  "Yes, darling, and it is there she is now with the dear husband--yourfather--whom she so dearly loved!"

  "Oh, you can't mean it! it can't be that both are gone, and nobody leftto love us or take care of us--Blanche and Harry, and Nan and me! Oh, no,no, it can't be possible!" cried the little girl, covering her face withher hands and bursting into an agony of sobs and tears. "Mamma, mamma,mamma, oh, I can never, never, never do without you!"

  Mrs. Rogers drew her closer and spoke in low, comforting tones, her owntears falling fast the while, "Dear child, God will take care of you andyour little brother and sisters. He calls Himself the father of thefatherless. He pities and loves you and will raise up friends andhelpers for you. Can you not trust Him for that, dear child, and be gladfor papa and mamma, that they are safe with Him and will never again besick or in pain? and that if you love and serve Him while on earth Hewill one day take you to be with Him and them?"

  "I don't want to die, and I cannot, I cannot do without my dear papa andmamma!" wailed the well-nigh heartbroken child.

  Her cry waked the three younger ones; a trying scene ensued.