Holidays at Roselands

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Holidays at Roselands

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Title: Holidays at Roselands
Author: Martha Finley
Release Date: December 6, 2004 [EBook #14280]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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HOLIDAYS AT ROSELANDS
A SEQUEL TO ELSIE DINSMORE

BY MARTHA FINLEY
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by M.W.
DODD, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States
for the Southern District of New York.
Copyright, 1898, by DODD, MEAD & COMPANY.

"Hope not sunshine every hour, Fear not clouds will always lower."
--Burns.

Elsie's Holidays at Roselands.
CHAPTER I.
"Oh Truth, Thou art, whilst tenant in a noble breast, A crown of crystal
in an iv'ry chest."
Elsie felt in better spirits in the morning; her sleep had refreshed her,
and she arose with a stronger confidence in the love of both her earthly
and her heavenly Father.
She found her papa ready, and waiting for her. He took her in his arms
and kissed her tenderly. "My precious little daughter," he said, "papa is
very glad to see you looking so bright and cheerful this morning. I
think something was wrong with my little girl last night. Why did she
not come to papa with her trouble?"
"Why did you think I was in trouble, papa?" she asked, hiding her face
on his breast.
"How could I think otherwise, when my little girl did not come to bid
me good night, though she had not seen me since dinner; and when I
went to give her a good-night kiss I found her pillow wet, and a tear on

her cheek?"
"Did you come, papa?" she asked, looking up in glad surprise.
"I did. Now tell me what troubled you, my own one?"
"I am afraid you will be angry with me, papa," she said, almost under
her breath.
"Not half so angry as if you refuse to give me your confidence. I would
be glad to know that my little daughter had not a single thought or
feeling concealed from me."
He paused a moment, looking down at the little blushing face, half
hidden on his breast, then went on:
"Elsie, daughter, you are more precious to me than aught else in the
wide world, and you need not fear that any other can ever take your
place in my heart, or that I will make any connection that would render
you unhappy. I want no one to love but my little girl; and you must not
let the gossip of the servants disturb you."
Elsie looked up in unfeigned astonishment.
"Papa! you seem to know everything about me. Can you read my
thoughts?"
"Almost, when I can see your face," he answered, smiling at her
puzzled look. "I cannot quite, though; but I can put things together and
make a pretty good guess, sometimes."
She lay still on his breast for a moment; then, raising her eyes timidly
to his face again, she said in a half-hesitating way, "I am afraid it is
very naughty in me, papa, but I can't help thinking that Miss Stevens is
very disagreeable. I felt so that very first day, and I did not want to take
a present from her, because it didn't seem exactly right when I didn't
like her, but I couldn't refuse--she wouldn't let me--and I have tried to
like her since, but I can't."

"Well, darling, I don't think I am just the proper person to reprove you
for that," he replied, trying to look grave, "for I am afraid I am as
naughty as you are. But we won't talk any more about her. See what I
have for you this morning."
He pointed to the table, where lay a pile of prettily bound books, which
Elsie had not noticed until this moment. They were Abbot's works.
Elsie had read several of his historical tales, and liked them very much;
and her father could hardly have given a more acceptable present.
"I was sorry for your disappointment yesterday," he said, "but I hope
these will make up for it, and they will give you a great deal of useful
information, as well as amusement; while it could only be an injury to
you to read that trashy book."
Elsie was