[Elsie’s Kith and Kin by Martha Finley]@TWC D-Link book
Elsie’s Kith and Kin

CHAPTER XIX
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Any thing more you think of that would be likely to interest Rosie and Walter, you can tell them afterwards." The order was obeyed promptly and cheerfully, even by Lulu.
When the excitement of telling about their purchases, and all the day's experiences, was over, the children found themselves very weary,--the two little girls at least: Max wouldn't acknowledge that he was at all fatigued, but was quite willing to comply with his father's suggestion that it would be wise for him, as well as for his sisters, to go early to bed.
While Lulu was making ready for hers, her thoughts turned upon the morrow, bringing with them a new source of disquiet.
"Papa," she said pleadingly, when he came in to bid her good-night, "mayn't I stay at home to-morrow ?" "Stay at home from church?
Not unless you are sick, or the weather quite too bad for you to go out.

Why should you wish it ?" "Because--because--I--I'm afraid people have heard about--about how bad I was the other day; and--so I--I can't bear to go where I'll--be seen by strangers.

No, I mean by folks out of the house that know who I am, and what happened the other day." "My child, I am sorry for you," he said, taking her on his knee; "but it is a part of the punishment you have brought upon yourself, and will have to bear." "But let me stay at home to-morrow, won't you ?" "No: it is a duty to go to church, as well as a privilege to be allowed to do so.
"'Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is,' the Bible says; so I cannot allow you to absent yourself from the services of the sanctuary when you are able to attend.
"As I have told you before, I must obey the directions I find in God's Word, and, as far as lies in my power, see that my children obey them too." "I'd rather take a whipping than go to-morrow," she muttered, half under her breath.
"I hope you are not going to be so naughty that you will have to do both," he said very gravely.

"You have been a very good girl to-day, and I want you to end it as such." "I mean to, papa; I'd be ashamed to be naughty after all you have done for me, and given me to-day: and I mean to be pleasant about going to church to-morrow; though it'll be ever so hard, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to go if you were me." "If you were I," he corrected.

"No: if I were you, I suppose I should feel just as you do; but the question is not what we want to do, but what God bids us do.
"Jesus said, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.' 'He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.' "It is the dearest wish of my heart to see my children his followers, showing their love to him by an earnest endeavor to keep all his commandments." "Papa, you always want to do right, don't you ?" she asked.


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