Elsies Girlhood | Page 2

"And it just spoils all our pleasure."
"I hope not, daughter. I think she will hardly annoy you when you are
close at my side; and that is pretty much all the time, isn't it?"

"Yes, papa, and I'll stick closer than ever to you if that will make her let
me alone," she cried, with a merry laugh, putting her arm round his
neck and kissing him two or three times.
"Ah, now I have my own little girl again," he said, drawing her to his
knee and returning her caresses with interest: "But there, I hear Miss
Rose's step in the hall. Run to mammy and have your hat put on."
Miss Stevens' presence proved scarcely less annoying to Elsie than the
child had anticipated. She tried to keep out of the lady's way, but it was
quite impossible. She could scarcely step out on the veranda, go into
the parlor, or take a turn in the garden by herself, but in a moment Miss
Stevens was at her side fawning upon and flattering her--telling her
how sweet and pretty and amiable she was, how dearly she loved her,
and how much she thought of her papa too: he was so handsome and so
good; everybody admired him and thought him such a fine-looking
gentleman, so polished in his manners, so agreeable and entertaining in
conversation.
Then she would press all sorts of dainties upon the little girl in such a
way that it was next to impossible to decline them, and occasionally
even went so far as to suggest improvements, or rather alterations, in
her dress, which she said was entirely too plain.
"You ought to have more flounces on your skirts, my dear," she
remarked one day. "Skirt flounced to the waist are so very pretty and
dressy, and you would look sweetly in them, but I notice you don't
wear them at all. Do ask your papa to let you get a new dress and have
it made so; I am sure he would consent, for any one can see that he is
very fond of you. He doesn't think of it; we can't expect gentlemen to
notice such little matters; you ought to have a mamma to attend to such
things for you. Ah! if you were my child, I would dress you sweetly,
you dear little thing!"
"Thank you, ma'am, I daresay you mean to be very kind," replied Elsie,
trying not to look annoyed, "but I don't want a mamma, since my own
dear mother has gone to heaven; papa is enough for me, and I like the
way he dresses me. He always buys my dresses himself and says how

they are to be made. The dressmaker wanted to put more flounces on,
but papa didn't want them and neither did I. He says he doesn't like to
see little girls loaded with finery, and that my clothes shall be of the
best material and nicely made, but neat and simple."
"Oh, yes; I know your dress is not cheap; I didn't mean that at all: it is
quite expensive enough, and some of your white dresses are beautifully
worked; but I would like a little more ornament. You wear so little
jewelry, and your father could afford to cover you with it if he chose. A
pair of gold bracelets, like mine for instance, would be very pretty, and
look charming on your lovely white arms: those pearl ones you wear
sometimes are very handsome--any one could tell that they are the real
thing--but you ought to have gold ones too, with clasps set with
diamonds. Couldn't you persuade your papa to buy some for you?"
"Indeed, Miss Stevens, I don't want them! I don't want anything but
what papa chooses to buy for me of his own accord. Ah! there is Miss
Rose looking for me, I must go," and the little girl, glad of an excuse to
get away, ran joyfully to her friend who had come to the veranda,
where she and Miss Stevens had been standing, to tell her that they
were going out to walk, and her papa wished to take her along.
Elsie went in to get her hat, and Miss Stevens came towards Rose,
saying, "I think I heard you say you were going to walk; and I believe,
if you don't forbid me, I shall do myself the pleasure of accompanying
you. I have just been waiting for pleasant company. I will be ready in
one moment." And before Rose could recover from her astonishment
sufficiently to reply she had disappeared through the hall door.
Elsie was out again in a moment, just as the gentlemen had joined Rose,
who excited their surprise and disgust by a repetition of Miss Stevens'
speech to her.