Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-01-02
Elsie.

Certainly there1is no teacher like ex-
perfehte, though the lessons that she
teaches us are often very bitter ones.
"You will never learn caution, my
fboy} till you. DO yourself or some one
else mischief" Mr.. Foster had said
to his son Norman a hundred times.
!! Norman was always doug some
wild apd reckless thing climbing some
Of the highest trees in. the garden at
the risk of breaking his neck; wading
in the river beyond his depth; riding
bare. backed on his fathers horse;
playing with the fierce old watch dog
that snarled and showed his teeth at
every one who tried to caress him.
Norman Ind no brothers, but he had
q little sister named Elsie, three years
younger than himself, of whom he was
very fond. There was nothing that he
liked better than to have Elsie. as he
called it, "all to himself, and though
he WAS SO wild and willful when he
played alone, or with other boys, yet
it was pretty to see how gentle and
kind he could be when Elsie was his
playmate, and how he would give up
his own wishes to do the things she
asked him, and would never speak u
rough or impatient word to her. 20
Norman isIalways good when he is
with Elsie, +" his mother often used
gladly to say; and she only spoke the
truth; and yet it was Elsie whom Nor
man hurt on that sad day Of which i
AM going to tell You, when in Ibis bold
play he did thing that lie never after
wards forgot, or forgave himself for as
long as he lived.2 70 rt.- ey--y-v
The two children had been sitting
one morning with their mother in the
dining-room, talking, and looking at
picture books very happily, till, after
3 good while had passed, one of the
servants came to the door, and told her
mistress that somebody wanted her.
"Then must send you up stairs,
my little Elsie" Mrs. Roster said.
But at that moment Norman ex-
claimed" Oh no, let us stop here. I'll
take care of Elsie." ~ r
And he had taken good care of Elsie
SO often that his mother almost at once
replied, Very we'll. Amuse her, and
be kind to her, and I dare say shall
be back very soon." Aud rising upy
she wentsway Without the least anxiety,
and left the two children alone.
They were nearly always happy when
they were together, and SO they began
to play, and for little while every
thing went perfectly we'll.
They played at being horses first, and
Norman let Elsie whip him to her
hearts content; then they played at
being bears, and that game went quite
harmoniously, too; and then Norman
said he would be soldier. and as Elsie
was always very much delighted when
Norman made himself a soldier, she
sat on the floor and laughed and
clapped her hands with pleasure, as he
marched up and down the room, with
1.-The poker held ikeila gun against his
shoulder. 4 q NJ ru|
Only it doesn't make a good gan;
it's not long enough; I'll get fathers
real gum he said, presently. -
know where it is. just you stay here a
minute till fetch it,"
And he ran cut of the room, and re-
turned almost Immediately with long
revolver, which he trailed after him on
= the floor. 4fe.et. ,-E.t- : .
ooh, Norman, it will shoot me, 81
d cried Elsie, rather terrified at the
sight,. g' TT.
But Norman explained to her, with
such an appearance of knowing ali
about what he was saying, that guns
never went of. by themselves, and that
indeed, it needed very strong hands tc
make them 60 off at all, that Elsie
who always believed whatever Norman
told her. and who. besides, was no
naturally timid child, soon forgot he1
fear, and laughed and clapped be-
hands louder than ever as he began Il
strut up and down the room again
leveling his revolver and pretendine
to tire at one enemy after another.
.aT "Shoot! Bang p cried Norman a
the top OF his voice. Shoot Bang
There's another down. Now I'm com
ing to you. Shoot r
But there his voice all at ono.
ceased, for as he shouted that las
word. pointing the Iuzzle Of his gul
at Elsie. suddenly terrible explosion
shook the room, and, as the ehocI
threw, him to the floor, such cYy O
pain and terror rang in his ears as h
never before had heard, and ms he ueve
afterwards all his life forgot.
In moment he was on his fee
again, With his face as white as death
OF course. he knew quite well what h
had dcosshu q LuOJ
Elsie he tried TO gasp; but Their
came no ansEf. hnddhd, toge.ise, {,
the floor. in a'iit'ie heap, quite still
and with the red blood that oozed GU
on the carpet already beginning t
stain her pretty golden hair, little Elsi
lay. 49,
There Was no need for Norman 10 o.