Christmas with Grandma Elsie

"She means seeding raisins, papa," explained Grace, with a merry laugh. "We've been in the kitchen helping the cook. At least pretending to help her. Perhaps we hindered more than we helped.'"

"I dare say," he responded; "but I hope Elsie didn't eat the raisins, nor you either; they are quite too indigestible for your young stomachs."

"We each had one, papa; that was all. I told Elsie we wouldn't eat any more till we asked leave, and she was a good little girl and didn't tease for more."

"That was right; but for your own sakes I must say that is all you can have."

He had paused for a moment in the hall to pet and fondle the two. Max and Lulu stood looking on; Harold and Herbert were taking off their overcoats near by.

"You're a funny talker, Elsie," laughed Max.

"Your English is not of the purest, little woman," said her Uncle

Harold.

"Tell Uncle Harold he must not expect perfection in a beginner," said her father. "Where are grandma and mamma?"

"In the parlor I believe," said Grace. "Oh no! see, they are just coming down the stairs."

"Yes, here we are," said Violet; "anxious, for a report of the morning's proceedings in the magistrate's office. Won't you walk into the parlor, gentlemen, and let us have it?"

"Certainly, we will be very happy to gratify your very excusable curiosity," returned her husband laughingly, as she came to his side, and he stooped his tall form to give her the kiss with which he never failed to greet her after even a brief separation.

The older people all repaired to the parlor, but the children did not follow.

"I must go and look over my lessons," said Max.

"And I'm going to my room," said Lulu. "Gracie, if you will come with me, I'll tell you all about the trial – if that's what they call it."

"O yes, do!" responded Grace, as the two started up the stairs together.

"Were you scared, Lu?"

"No; I didn't feel frightened, for I'm not timid you know, and papa was near me all the time; and he'd told me all I had to do was to tell a straightforward, truthful story.

"I did hate to take the oath, but I knew I had to, and that it wasn't wrong, though it does seem a dreadful thing to do."

"It isn't like other swearing," remarked Max, who was moving on up the stairs, somewhat ahead of his sisters. "There must be a right kind, because in the psalms, where David is describing a good man, he says of him, 'He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.'"

"Yes, I know," said Lulu, "I can see the difference; and this must be the right kind or papa would never have let us do it."

"How do they do it?" asked Grace. "How did you do it, Lu?"

"A man said over the words for me – a promise to 'tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth' – and I promised by kissing the Bible; that was all."

"That wasn't very hard to do," said Grace, "but oh I'd have been so frightened to have to tell something with so many people listening!"

"Of course; because you're such a weak, timid little thing; but I'm big and strong and not afraid of anybody or anything.

"There were a good many people there; the room was quite full; but I felt that that did not make much difference, when I thought about God hearing every word I said and knowing if it was really the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

"Ajax's wife was there; crying fit to break her heart too; specially when they took him back to jail.

"Papa stopped and spoke to her before we got into the carriage to come home. He said he was very sorry for her, but if she continued to be honest and industrious, he would see that she did not want; and he hoped her husband would some day come out of prison a better man."

"Did she seem thankful to papa?" asked Grace.

"Yes; and she said she didn't see how Ajax could be so bad and ungrateful as to try to steal papa's money after he'd been so kind to her and the children."

"Yes, and I pity 'Liza for being his wife, and the children because they have such a bad father.

"Lu, let's ask papa if we mayn't buy some calico and other things, with some of our benevolence money, and make clothes for them."

"I wouldn't mind giving the money," said Lulu, "but I hate to sew on such things. You know I never did like plain sewing. I'll see about it though."

"You'd do it to please the dear Lord Jesus, even though you don't like it?" said Grace softly.

"Yes, that I will, if papa approves," returned Lulu warmly, her eyes shining. "Gracie, it's good – a real pleasure, I mean – to make yourself do distasteful things, for Jesus' sake.

"I'll put my hat and coat in their proper places and smooth my hair, so

I'll be neat for dinner, and we'll go and talk to papa about it at once.

He's sure to approve, and I don't want to give myself any chance to change my mind and give the thing up."

"And we won't mind Grandma Elsie hearing," added Grace; "perhaps she'll know what they need the most, and maybe she'll tell Rosie and Eva and they'll offer to do something for the poor things too."

"Oh yes: perhaps we can form ourselves into a Dorcas society. That's what they call societies that make garments for the poor you know, because of Dorcas in the Bible who made coats and garments for the poor where she lived."

"Yes, Lu; but there's the dinner bell, and we'll have to wait awhile before we can talk to papa about it; for you know he says we mustn't talk a great deal at the table when there's company."

"And I have to smooth my hair yet, and that will make me late. I'm so sorry, because it vexes papa to have us unpunctual. Don't wait for me, Gracie, for that will make you late too."

"I'd rather wait for you, but I 'spose I ought to go at once," Gracie said, looking regretfully back as she left the room.

The blessing had been asked and the captain was carving the turkey when

Lulu took her seat at the table, which was close at his right hand.

He gave her a grave look.

"I'm very sorry I'm late, papa," she said in a low tone, and casting down her eyes. "I'd been so busy talking with Gracie that I hadn't my hair smoothed when the bell rang."

"It has been a very exciting morning for you, daughter, and I'll excuse you this time," he returned, speaking kindly and in as low a key as her own; "it is not often I find you unpunctual."

Lulu heaved a sigh of relief, her countenance brightened, and her eyes were lifted to her father's face with a grateful, loving look that brought a smile to his lips and eyes.

She was very quiet during the meal, speaking only when spoken to, but her father kept an eye on her plate and saw that her wants were abundantly supplied.