CHAPTER XV.
IN THE FIRELIGHT.
The little girl's patience was pretty well tried; but at last she heardthe Doctor's step in the hall, and the next moment he stood in thedoorway in his tuxedo, the red rosebud in his buttonhole. Mary almostclapped her hands; but remembering that she was the hostess, she triedto behave in a most grown-up manner and welcomed her uncle as she hadseen her mother greet guests. It was a little hard not to forget thatshe was _Miss_ Selwyn, especially when the Doctor started toward theleft side of the bed, which was the dining-room, and almost saw behindthe screen which hid the table from view.
Liza appeared very promptly with the dinner, the screen was removed, andthe Doctor took his place at the table, saying, "I am very sorry, MissSelwyn, that you cannot partake of anything more than the first course."
"I am quite sure that I am even more sorry than you are, DoctorCarlton," was the very truthful response.
Then the Doctor forgot that he was a guest at a fashionable dinnerparty, and declared that Mary should have a few bites of meat if shewould swallow no more than the juice of it.
Several times, Liza was obliged to hurry from the room so as not to beseen laughing at Mary's quaint remarks. After she had served thedessert, Mary said, "Doctor Carlton, one of my guests is in the playroomwaiting to be brought in to dinner. I could not have her here while Lizawas in the room."
"I shall be delighted to act as her escort, Miss Selwyn."
The Doctor soon returned with Amelia Anabelle, whom he placed in thehigh chair, saying, "A fine, little girl, Miss Selwyn, a fine, healthychild, indeed! Is she a relative of yours?"
"Yes, Doctor, she is my niece. On the whole, she is a very good child;but, of course, she has her tantrums sometimes just as other childrenhave."
"Oh, I think you must be mistaken about that, Miss Selwyn. Such agood-natured-looking child could not possibly give way to tantrums," andthe Doctor began to eat his pie.
Mary pressed the button; and dropping his fork, he stared at thescreaming, kicking Amelia Anabelle.
"You see, Doctor, she can be a very naughty child. I think she is cryingfor some of your pie."
"No, no, madam, pumpkin pie is very bad for so young a child. Some ofthe cream on your gelatine will be just the thing for her." Then, whenpeace was restored, he once more forgot that he was a guest and asked,"How did you manage that? is the face made of rubber?"
"No, Uncle, it is the same as my other dolls' faces. Liza says thatAmelia Anabelle is a haunt."
"Nonsense! That doll's antics can be explained as easily as most of theghosts that we hear about. A string and a spring will work wonders; butI don't quite see how they can make so great a change in a bisque face.Never mind. I shall find out for myself before I go to bed to-night. Nowonder that poor Liza is afraid of that doll."
"Uncle, has Liza much book learning?"
"'Education' is a better word, dear. No, Liza has not had mucheducation. If she had had a little more, she would not be so ready tobelieve in haunts, as she calls them. Why do you ask that question?"
"Aunt Mandy told me that she didn't have any herself, and that sheexpects to live to be ever so old. She seems to think that book--I mean_education_ makes people die young. Does it, Uncle?"
"Not at all. Of course, if one devotes too much time to study and notenough to proper exercise and rest, there is reason to fear that thehealth will suffer. But there is not much danger that many young peoplenowadays will die of overstudy. There, I can't begin to tell you howmuch I have enjoyed this dinner."
"O Uncle, will you let Liza bring your dinner up here every eveninguntil I am well enough to go down stairs?"
"Unless she objects, I shall be only too glad to do so--that is, if youwill not expect me to dress up in this fashion."
"Why, Uncle, I didn't expect you to do that even _this_ evening."
"But your invitation called for it."
"Then I shall not send you any more invitations. We shall be just ourown selves and not pretend anything. Don't you think it would be niceif you took off those stiff things now and put on your smoking jacketand slippers? And--and couldn't we sit by the fire in the sitting-roomand talk until oh, ever so late? I took a long, long nap thisafternoon."
"I quite agree to part of your plan; but as for sitting up until a verylate hour--well, we shall see."
Ten minutes later found him in a big leather chair before the blazingfire with Mary, snugly wrapped in a blanket, on his knee. For some time,he forgot the little girl, and sat watching the dancing flames andthinking of the great steamer plowing its way through the dark waters ofthe Atlantic. Mary's eyes never left his face; and feeling her gaze uponhim, he smiled down at her. She slipped her arm around his neck, drawinghis head down; and his kind blue eyes grew misty as, gazing once moreinto the fire, he listened while she whispered many things into hisear--things which let him see deep down into her loving little heart andbound it more closely to his own with bands which the sad after daysonly strengthened.
When she had finished, he said nothing--just held her close and pressedhis lips to the bright little head resting so trustingly against hisarm; and Mary knew that he understood.
After a long, long silence, he began to tell her of the beautiful, old,southern city to which he was planning to take her.
"Is it near Wilhelmina's home, Uncle?"
"No, dear, it is much farther from New York. Wilhelmina's home is inGeorgia, too near the sea for you at present. We shall go to Texas, along, long journey; but we shall be well repaid when we reach SanAntonio. That is the Spanish way of saying Saint Anthony. It is a veryold city, founded by the Franciscan Fathers more than two hundred yearsago, and has an interesting and exciting history."
"And will it really be warm there?"
"So warm that by the first of February you will probably be able to playoutdoors in a white dress without wraps. The poorest shanty will bealmost hidden by roses."
"Then I won't need to take my winter clothes at all."
"I think it will be well for you to take your warm cloak; for sometimesa cold wind called a 'norther' swoops down on the city, and then thebeautiful palm trees and the flowers suffer, and for a few days thechildren hurry to school bundled up in the warmest clothes they canfind. We who see so much snow and ice for several months at a time wouldlook upon such a cold snap as fine, bracing weather; but those southernpeople do not enjoy it at all."
"I wish Wilhelmina lived in San Antonio."
"So do I, little one. You would have great times together, though Ireally do not know what you would do in a house with seven boys. Theyare just about the liveliest little crowd I have ever met, andWilhelmina is equal to any one of them."
"Is she seven years old, too, Uncle?"
"Not quite seven. Her birthday is in January, so you are nearly eightmonths older than she is; but she is large and strong for her age. Noone but her mother ever thinks of calling her by her full name. Even herfather calls her Willie, and I have heard the boys say 'Billy' or'Bill' when their mother is not around."
"I hope I shall know them all some day. They must have the best timestogether. They need never invite anyone to spend the day with them."
"No, indeed; though they do sometimes have what they term, 'TheGathering of the Clan,' when their forty-five or fifty first cousins,with their fathers and mothers, pay a visit to Sunnymead, asWilhelmina's home is called."
"_Forty-five or fifty first cousins!_ Why, Uncle! And I haven't _one_!"
"Perhaps you have some, dear, that we know nothing about. Your fatherhas a brother and a sister of whom he has heard nothing for many years.He was not always a Catholic, you know; and when he became one, yourAunt Bertha would have no more to do with him. Your Uncle Alfred was inEurope at the time. He was not one to trouble himself much aboutreligion and would not care what your father did about it; but he hasdoubtless been roaming from place to place over there, and any letterswhich your father has written him have probably gone astray. At allevents, men, as a rule, are
not great letter-writers, you know."
Then the Doctor told the little girl about her father's old home inVirginia, which was built when George Washington was a little boy. Bydegrees, her eyes grew heavy, and his voice died away into silence; andwhen, at the very late hour of half-past seven, Sister Julia came as faras the door to see whether her patient was ready to go to bed, she foundthe Doctor, a very tender light in his eyes, gazing into the glowingcoals, and Mary fast asleep in his arms.
* * * * *
"_Our girls have found a new and splendid champion._"
Father Finn in the _Queen's Works_.
Uncle Frank's Mary
By CLEMENTIA
Uncle Frank's Mary is Clementia's first book, and it is full ofthoughtful interest; has a wonderful plot development, charmingdialogue, and an abundance of action. It introduces a host of delightfulpersonages besides the lovable little heroine.
It will appeal to girls particularly from ages 12 to 17.
The Quest of Mary Selwyn
This book is a sequel to Uncle Frank's Mary. The atmosphere of the storydespite thrilling adventures by land and sea is thoroughly feminine.
It is a story that will be enjoyed by all.
Bird-A-Lea
By CLEMENTIA
Although this book deals with Mary Selwyn and the characters ofClementia's first two books, it is complete in itself. It sets forth thehappy life at "Bird-a-Lea," the beautiful summer home of the Selwynfamily. Every page is full of adventure. "Bird-a-Lea" is so well writtenthat girls from ten to twenty years and even over will not put it asidebefore they have finished it.
_The best girls' story written since "Little Women"_
* * * * *
Work, Wealth and Wages
BY REV. JOSEPH HUSSLEIN, S. J., Ph. D.
_A splendid book by the eminent Jesuit Author_
_A book for everyone who works_
It should be read by every employer and employee. It should be placed inthe hands of labor leaders. It will be read with profit by the classesand the masses.
The purpose of the book is to offer, for the use of all, a brief butsuggestive exposition of the Christian principles underlying the greatsocial problems of our day.
Father Husslein's valuable book covers such questions as "A LivingWage," "The Right to Strike," "Women at the Wheel of Industry,""Present-day Capitalism," "Proletarian Dictatorship," "Copartnership andProfit-sharing," "Ozanam on Poverty and Wealth," "The Science ofCharity," "Catholic Efficiency," "The Apostolic Rule," etc., etc.
WORK, WEALTH AND WAGES should be in millions of our Catholic homes.
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