The soft eyes filled with tears, and the red lips quivered.
Mildred clasped the little form close in her arms and kissed the sweet, fair face over and over, exclaiming in tremulous tones, "You dear, precious baby! if he could only see you, I'm sure he couldn't help loving you with all his heart!"
The travelers were summoned to the dinner table, and little Elsie partook with them, conducting herself with the utmost propriety.
"She seems a well-behaved child," her grandfather remarked graciously. "How old are you, my dear? can you tell?"
"I's four," piped the bird-like voice; "I's a big girl now, grandpa; too big to be naughty; but sometimes I's not very good."
"Ah! that's honest," he said, with an amused smile. "Well, what do they do to you when you're naughty?"
"When I was a little girl, mammy put me in de corner sometimes."
"And what now you are so large?"
"She jus' say, 'Jesus not pleased wis my darlin' child, when she naughty.'"