Grandmother Elsie by Martha Finley

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All three greeted him affectionately, expressing their regret that he had
missed the pleasure of the excursion; then Vi and Lulu passed into the
house and on upstairs.

The captain was about to follow when Max, stepping close to his side,
said, with a slight tremble in his voice, "Papa, I--want to speak to you."

"Very well, my son, say on," answered the captain, stopping and turning
toward him.

"It's something I want to tell you, sir," and Max hung his head, his
cheeks flushing hotly.

His father gave him a searching look, took his hand, and led him into the
parlor.

"Don't be afraid of your father, Max," he said kindly, "why should you?"

"Because I've been a bad boy, sir, deserving of a flogging, and expect you
to give it to me," Max burst out desperately.

"Tell me all about it, my son," the captain said in a moved tone, "and
tell it here," seating himself and drawing the boy to his knee. "Perhaps
it will be easier."

"Oh, yes, papa, because it makes me know you love me even if I am bad; but
it makes me more ashamed and sorry for having disobeyed you," sobbed Max,
no longer able to refrain from tears as he felt the affectionate clasp of
his father's enfolding arm.

"Then it has a right effect. My boy, I think if you knew how much I love
you, you would never disobey. It will be a sore trial to me, as well as to
you, if I find it my duty to inflict any severe punishment upon you. But
let me hear your story."

Max told it in broken accents, for he was full of remorse for having
behaved so ill to so kind a parent.

When he had finished there was a moment of silence. It was the captain who
broke it.

"My boy," he said, with emotion, "it was a really wonderful escape, and we
must thank God for it. If you had been drowned, Max, do you know that it
would have gone near to break your father's heart? To lose my first-born,
my only son, and in the very act of disobedience--oh, how terrible!"

"Papa, I didn't, I really didn't think about its being disobedience when I
got into the boat, because it didn't seem dangerous till we were fairly
out among the waves."

"Do you think I ought to excuse you on that account?"

"No, sir; you've reproved me so often for not thinking, and for not being
careful to obey your orders; and I know I deserve a flogging. But, O papa,
please don't let Mamma Vi know about it, or anybody else. Can't you take
me upstairs here when they are all in the other house?"

"I shall not use corporal punishment this time, Max," the captain said, in
a moved tone. Dressing the boy closer to his side, "I shall try free
forgiveness, for I think you are truly sorry. And then you have made so
frank and full a confession of wrong-doing, that I might perhaps never
have discovered in any other way."

"O papa, how good you are to me! I don't think I can ever be so mean and
ungrateful as to disobey you again," exclaimed Max, feelingly. "But I
don't deserve to be praised, or let off from punishment, because of
confessing, for I shouldn't have done it if Grandma Elsie hadn't talked to
me about the duty of it, and persuaded me to take courage to do it because
it was right."

"Bless her for it! the dear, good woman!" the captain said, with earnest
gratitude. "But I think, Max, you do deserve commendation for taking her
advice. I have something more to say to you, my son, but not now, for the
call to dinner will come directly, and I must go and prepare for it."

There was a hearty embrace between them, and they separated, the captain
going to his room to make his toilet and Max to the other house, where he
soon managed to let Grandma Elsie into the secret of his confession and
its happy result, thanking her with tears in his eyes for her kind, wise
advice.

Elsie rejoiced with and for him, telling him he had made her heart glad
and that she hoped he would always have courage to do right.

As Max prepared for bed that night he was wondering to himself what more
his father had to say to him, when he heard the captain's step on the
stairs, and the next moment he came in.

Max started a little apprehensively. Could it be that his father had
changed his mind, and was about to give him the dreaded flogging after
all?

But with one glance up into the grave yet kindly face looking down at him,
all his fear vanished. He drew a long breath of relief.

"My boy," the captain said, laying his hand on Max's shoulder, "I told you
I had something more to say to you, and I have come to say it now. You are
'my first-born, my might and the beginning of my strength.' Never until
you are a father yourself can you know or understand the tide of love,
joy, and thankfulness that swept over me at the news of your birth. Nor do
you know how often, on land and on sea, in storm and in calm, my thoughts
dwell with deep anxiety upon the future of my son, not only for time, Max,
but for eternity."

The captain paused for a moment, his emotions seemingly too big for
utterance, and Max, throwing his arms around his neck, hid his face on his
breast.

"Papa," he sobbed, "I didn't know you loved me so much! Oh, I wish I'd
always been a good boy!"

The captain sat down and drew him to his knee.

"My dear son," he said, "I have no doubt that you are sorry for every act
of disobedience toward me, and I fully and freely forgive them all; but
what I want you to consider now is your sinfulness toward God, and your
need of forgiveness from him. You are old enough to be a Christian now,
Max, and it is what I desire for you more than anything else. Think what
blessedness to be made a child of God, an heir of glory! to have Jesus,
the sinner's Friend, for your own Saviour, your sins all washed away in
his precious blood, his righteousness put upon you."

"Papa, I don't know how."

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,' the Bible
says. It tells us that we have all broken God's holy law, that we all
deserve his wrath and curse forever, and cannot be saved by anything that
we can do or Buffer; but that 'God so loved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but
have everlasting life.' He offers this salvation to us as his free gift,
and so we are to take it, for we can have it in no other way. Go to God,
my son, just as you have come to me, with confession of your sins and
acknowledging that you deserve only punishment; but pleading for pardon
through the blood and merits of Jesus Christ. Accept the salvation offered
you by the Lord Jesus, giving yourself to him to be his, his only forever.
'Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to
give repentance to Israel and remission of sins,' and he will give them to
you if you ask for them with all your heart. He says, 'Him that cometh to
me, I will in no wise cast out.' My son, my dear son, will not you come
now? God's time is always _now_, and only the present is ours."

"Papa, I will try; I am sorry for my sins against God, and I do want to
belong to him. Papa, won't you pray for me?"

They knelt down together, and with his son's hand in his the captain
poured out a fervent prayer on the boy's behalf, of confession and
entreaty for pardon and acceptance in the name and for the sake of Him
"who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our
justification."

Then, with a silent, tender embrace he left him.

CHAPTER XXIV.

"Home again, home again, from a foreign shore,
And oh it fills my soul with Joy to see my friends once more."

The rest of the summer and early fall passed delightfully to our
sojourners by the sea; though the happiness of the captain and Violet was
somewhat marred by the knowledge that soon they must part for a season of
greater or less duration, he to be exposed to all the dangers of the
treacherous deep.

But they did not indulge in repining or lose the enjoyment of the present
in vexing thoughts concerning the probable trials of the future.

It was necessary, however, to give it some consideration, and make
arrangements in regard to his children.

Thinking of the guidance and control they all needed, the temper and
stubbornness Lulu had shown, the watchful care requisite for Gracie in her
feeble state, he hesitated to ask Mrs. Dinsmore and Elsie if they still
felt inclined to undertake the charge of them.

But to his great relief and gratitude, those kind friends did not wait for
him to broach the subject, but renewed their offer, saying they had
become much attached to the children, and desired more than ever to give
them a happy home with themselves; upon the conditions formerly stated,
namely, that he would delegate his authority to them during his absence,
and give the children distinctly to understand that he had done so.

These conditions the captain gladly accepted. He told the children all
about the arrangement he had made for them, and in the presence of the
whole family, bade them obey Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore, Grandma Elsie and
Mamma Vi as they would himself.

"One master and three mistresses!" Edward remarked lightly; "are you not
imposing rather hard conditions, Captain?"

"No, I think not, Ned, for I am satisfied that their commands will never
conflict; but should they do so, Mr. Dinsmore, as patriarch of the whole
tribe, is of course the highest authority."

It had been decided that Harold and Herbert should now enter college. The
others, on being left by the captain, would all return to Ion and spend
the winter there or at Viamede. Edward would take charge of the Ion
plantation, his grandfather giving him some slight supervision at the
start.

This arrangement would leave Mr. Dinsmore almost without employment, and,
as he liked to be busy, he said he would gladly act the part of tutor to
Max, and also hear some of the recitations of Rosie and Lulu. Grandma
Elsie and Mamma Vi would for the present undertake the rest of the work of
educating the girls and little Walter.

Their plans settled, they gave themselves up to quiet enjoyment of each
other's society while Capt. Raymond waited for orders.

Early in October there came a great and joyful surprise. A train had
steamed into the neighboring depot a few moments before, but as they were
not looking for any addition to their party, no one had taken particular
note of the fact.

But a carriage came driving from that direction, and drew up before the
gate of Mr. Dinsmore's cottage, where the whole family were gathered.

A gentleman hastily alighted, handed out a lady; a servant-woman
followed--having first handed him an odd-looking, rather large bundle,
which he received with care--then turned to collect packages and parcels,
while the other two hurried to the house, the lady a little in advance.

"Elsie!" was the simultaneous exclamation of many voices in varied tones
of astonishment and delight, and the next instant there was a wonderful
confusion of greetings and embraces mingled with tears of joy and
thankfulness.

Lester and his wife had been heard from frequently during the past months,
their letters always cheerful and full of bright hopes and anticipations,
but containing no hint of any intention of returning to America before the
coming spring.

As they afterward explained, it had been a very sudden resolve, caused by
a severe fit of homesickness, and there really was no time to write.

Lester shared the joyous welcome given to Elsie; the servant woman having
relieved him of his bundle, of which, in their joyous excitement, no one
had taken particular notice.

Only waiting, a trifle impatiently, till the greetings and introductions
were over, Elsie Leland took it from her, and with a proud, happy, yet
tearful smile laid it--a lovely sleeping babe--in her mother's arms.

"Our boy, mother dear. We have named him for his grandpa--Edward
Travilla."

Elsie Travilla folded the child to her heart, kissed it softly, tenderly,
the great silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Ah, could he but have seen it! our first grandchild," she sighed.

Then, wiping away her tears, and sending a glance of mingled joy and
maternal pride around the little circle, she folded the babe still
closer, saying, with an arch, sweet smile, "Ah, no one now can deny that I
am in very truth Grandma Elsie!"

THE END.

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