Part 18 (1/2)
”Yes, papa, I feel more like it than I did on Sat.u.r.day,” she answered, lifting to his sparkling eyes, full of affection.
”I rejoice to hear it,” he said; ”for it is by no means a pleasant task to me when I have to compel a pupil--whether one of my own children or the child of someone else--against his or her inclination; though I enjoy teaching when all are happy and interested.”
”As we all ought to be when we have such a good, kind, wise teacher, dear papa,” she returned. ”It will be difficult, very difficult, I'm afraid, to give my mind to lessons when we are all so much taken up with the preparations for the wedding, but I'm determined to try my very best to do so to please my dearest, kindest, best of fathers,” lifting his hand to her lips.
”A father who would far rather be obeyed from love than fear,” he said, with a tender, loving look down into her face.
”Yes, I know you would, papa, and my love for you is, oh! ever so much stronger than my fear; though I own I am afraid of your displeasure and punishments, for I know you can punish severely when you think it your duty and for my good; but I respect and love you too a great deal more than I would or could if you indulged me in bad behavior.”
”I don't doubt it,” he said; ”and I, as I have often told you, punish you when I deem it needful, because I know you will be the happier in the end for being compelled to try to conquer your faults; happier than you ever could be if allowed to indulge them.”
”Yes, papa, I know that is so; I am never at all happy when indulging wrong tempers and feelings,” she acknowledged, with another loving look up into his face.
At that moment they were joined by Evelyn and Rosie.
”Brother Levis,” said Rosie, ”you surely are not going to be so unreasonable and tyrannical as to require lessons of us to-day?”
”I'm afraid I am, little sister,” he replied, with a smile, ”and I hope you are not going to be so naughty and rebellious as to require any kind of discipline?”
”I don't know,” she said, with a pretended pout; ”I feel no inclination at all toward lessons, but a very strong one in favor of a ride or drive over to Magnolia Hall.”
”Which can be gratified when study and recitations have been duly attended to,” returned the captain; ”and if in need of an escort you may call upon me for that service.”
”Oh, a thousand thanks! that will do very well indeed!” she exclaimed in a tone of relief and pleasure.
”And all the good and industrious little girls may go along,” added the captain, with a smiling look into Lulu's eagerly inquiring face.
”Thank you, papa; thank you very much!” she exclaimed joyously. ”I do want to go, and intend to be as industrious as possible, and as good and obedient, so that you can take me. And you'll take Gracie too if she wants to go, won't you?”
”Certainly,” he said; ”Gracie deserves all the indulgences and pleasures I can give her.”
”You are very kind indeed, Captain, to spend so much of your time in teaching us to-day; for I feel very sure you would enjoy going to Magnolia Hall with the other gentlemen and the ladies this morning,”
remarked Evelyn, with a grateful, affectionate look up into his face.
”Thank you, my dear,” he replied. ”It would be pleasant to me to go, but it is also a pleasure to help my own children, and other appreciative pupils, to climb the hill of science.”
Just then Grace and little Elsie came running to meet them, and the next minute the breakfast bell summoned them all to the house.
After breakfast followed family wors.h.i.+p, school, play-time, then dinner, and, late in the afternoon, the pleasant drive through the woods to Magnolia Hall. It was only for a call, however, and at tea-time the Viamede family and all their guests gathered about the table there.
From then until the wedding day the young folks were in a state of pleasurable excitement, though the captain kept his pupils steadily at their work, and they found it not impossible to fix their minds upon their studies for a portion of each day. The other relatives invited had arrived, and in a few days the marriage was to take place.
It was Sat.u.r.day morning. Scarcely two hours had been spent in the school-room when the captain dismissed his pupils, telling them, with his pleasant smile, that they had done very well indeed, and would be allowed a holiday until the wedding festivities were over, an announcement no one was sorry to hear, although he had made the lessons interesting and enjoyable to them as ever since undertaking the work of teaching them. All returned warm thanks, and Rosie, Evelyn, and Walter hastened from the room, which Captain Raymond had already left; but his two little girls lingered there a while longer, putting their desks in perfect order.
”Gracie,” said Lulu, ”how much money have you left?”
”Not a single cent,” was the reply in a rather rueful tone; ”and I suppose yours is all gone too?”
”Yes; every cent of it. I feel as poor as a church mouse.”