Christmas with Grandma Elsie Part 38

"We are always safe in the path of duty," he replied, "and it is a duty we owe the community to bring such lawless men to justice, for the protection of those they would prey upon. No, I do not fear them, because I am under the protection of Him 'in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.'

"'The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?'

"No, daughter, one who fears G.o.d need fear nothing else; neither men nor devils, for our G.o.d is stronger than Satan and all his hosts."

"And wicked men are Satan's servants, aren't they, papa?"

"Yes; for they do his will; obey his behests."

"It seems to me Christians ought to be very happy, always," remarked Max.

"Yes, they ought," said his father; "the command is, 'Rejoice in the Lord always,' and it is only lack of faith that prevents any of us from doing so."

Arrived at their destination they found a little crowd of idlers gathered about the door of the magistrate's office whither the two prisoners had been taken a few moments before. As the Woodburn carriage drove up, and the captain and his children alighted from it, the crowd parted to let them pa.s.s in, several of the men lifting their hats with a respectful, "Good morning, sir," to the captain. "Good morning, Master Max."

Their salutations were politely returned, and the captain stepped into the office, holding Lulu by the hand, and closely followed by Max.

Harold and Herbert had arrived a little in advance, and were among the spectators who, with the officers and their prisoners, nearly filled the small room.

The children behaved very well indeed, showing by their manner when taking the oath to tell "the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth," that they were duly impressed with the solemnity of the act, and the responsibility they were a.s.suming.

Lulu was of course the princ.i.p.al witness, and her modest, self possessed bearing, equally free from boldness and forwardness on the one hand, and bashfulness and timidity on the other, pleased her father extremely and won the admiration of all present; as did also her simple, straightforward way of telling her story.

The evidence was so full and clear that the magistrate had no hesitation in committing the accused for trial at the approaching spring term of court. In default of bail they were sent back to prison.

"Take me to the nursery, Vi," Grandma Elsie said, when the departure of the party destined for the magistrate's office, had left them alone together. "I feel that an hour with my little grandchildren will be quite refres.h.i.+ng. The darlings are scarcely less dear to me than were their mother and her brothers and sisters in their infancy."

"And they are so fond of you, mamma," responded Violet, leading the way.

Little Elsie set up a glad shout at sight of her grandmother. "I so glad, I so glad! P'ease take Elsie on your lap, g'amma, and tell pitty 'tories."

"Oh don't begin teazing for stories the very first minute," said Violet.

"You tire poor, dear grandma."

"No, mamma, Elsie won't tease, 'cause papa says it's naughty. But dear g'amma likes to tell Elsie 'tories; don't you, g'amma?"--climbing into her grandma's lap.

"Yes, dear; grandma enjoys making her little girl happy," Mrs. Travilla replied, fondly caressing the little prattler. "What story shall it be this time?"

"'Bout Adam and Eve eatin' dat apple."

Grandma kindly complied, telling the old story of the fall in simple language suited to the infant comprehension of the baby girl, who listened with as deep an interest as though it were a new tale to her, instead of an oft repeated one.

On its conclusion she sat for a moment as if in profound thought, then looking up into her grandmother's face,

"Where is dey now?" she asked.

"In heaven, I trust."

"Elsie's goin' to ask dem 'bout dat when Elsie gets to heaven."

"About what, darling?"

"'Bout eatin' dat apple; what dey do it for."

"It was very wicked for them to take it, because G.o.d had forbidden them to do so."

"Yes, g'amma; Elsie wouldn't take apple if papa say no."

"No, I hope not; it is very naughty for children to disobey their papa or mamma. And we must all obey G.o.d our heavenly Father."

"G'amma, p'ease tell Elsie 'bout heaven."

"Yes, darling, I will. It is a beautiful place; with streets of gold, a beautiful river, and trees with delicious fruits; it is never dark, for there is no night there; because Jesus our dear Saviour is there and is the light thereof, so that they do not need the sun or moon.

"n.o.body is ever sick, or sorry, hungry, or in pain. n.o.body is ever naughty; they all love G.o.d and one another. There is very sweet music there. They wear white robes and have crowns of gold on their heads and golden harps in their hands."

"To make sweet music?"

"Yes."

"Dey wear white dess?" "Yes."

"Do dey b.u.t.ton up behind like Elsie's dress?"

Violet laughed at that question. "She is very desirous to have her dresses fasten in front like mamma's," she explained in reply to her mother's look of surprised inquiry.

"Do dey, g'amma? do dey b.u.t.ton up in de back?"

"I don't know how they are made, dearie," her grandma answered. "I never was there to see them."

"Elsie's never dere."

"No, people don't go there till they die."

"Elsie's never dere 'cept when Elsie's gettin' made. Wasn't Elsie dere den? didn't Dod make Elsie up in heaven?"

"No, darling, you were never there, but if you love Jesus he will take you there some day."

"Mamma, how nicely you answer or parry her questions," said Violet. "As her father says, she can ask some that a very wise man could not answer."

"Yes, she has an inquiring mind, and I would not discourage her desire to learn by asking questions," Grandma Elsie said, adding with a smile, "I can remember that her mother used to ask me some very puzzling ones twenty years ago."

"And I never received a rebuff, but was always answered to the best of your ability, dear mamma. I think of that now when tempted to impatience with my little girl's sometimes wearisome questioning, and resolve to try to be as good a mother to her as you were to me; and still are," she added with a loving smile. "And now that she has gone back to her play and baby Ned is sleeping, I want a quiet chat with you."

"Then let us go to your boudoir and have it," her mother answered, rising and moving toward the door.

"Mamma, I have not heretofore been timid about burglars," Violet said, when they were seated in the boudoir, each busied with a bit of needlework, "but I fear that I shall be in future; for only think, mamma, how near they were to my husband and myself while we lay sleeping soundly in our own room! How easily they might have murdered us both before we were even aware of their presence in the house."

"Could they? had you then no wakeful guardian at hand?"