Iron County register., 1881-12-15

Mr.. Howard and his daughter Ethel
sat at the breakfast-table. They had
finished breakfast, and Ethel was wait
ing very patiently behind the teapot.
till her father should have finished
reading his letters.
She was al only child, and her moth
er had died before she had learned to
know her. But though she had often
wished that God had not taken her
mother away from her SO early, she had
been so tenderly watched over by her
kind father, that she had never felt
lonely and neglected, as many mother
less children do. And Ethel did what
she could for her father in return. She
poured out his tea for him, and read or
talked to him, as he seemed to wish,
and in very many ways added to his
happiness and comfort. She sat look
ing at him now with loving eyes as he
folded the letter he had been reading
and put it back into the envelope. He
glanced across at her as he did so.
81 must go to town at once" he said;
"ring the bell, Ethel; must catch the
next train
.'But you haven't been into the con-
servatory yet, papa" said Ethel; won
dering how anything could be of suffi-
cient importance to make her father
forget the plants in which he took so
much pride.
The servant came in at that moment.
and Mr.. Howard ordered his horse to
be brought round to the door at once.
Then he called Ethel into the hall, and
said. as he hastily put on his coat:
Il cannot stay for the plants this
morning, but think may safely leave
them to you, Ethel. 1 would sooner
trust you to. water them than any one
else. Only do it at once. and be very
careful, there's good child"
"Yes, will, papa. l will set about
it as soon as l have seen you off. You
will be back tonight, won't you?"
Eyes, shall be back early this even
ing, l expect. Good-by, dear. trust
you to take care of my plants"
Ethel watched her father ride down
the road. and was just turning from the
window to 90 to the conservatory. when
pretty little pony-chaise appeared in
sight. In it were seated two ladies and
a little girl, and Ethel soon recognized
them as Mrs. Wheeler "a lady who
lived about a mile away, and her sis
ter and niece. This same niece was a
great friend of Ethers, and she ran
quickly out to meet them.
''There you are, as merry as ever!'
exclaimed Mrs. Wheeler, drawing the
pony up in front of the house. mo.
we must not get out, dear. We are
going to the flower show, and we want
to catch the ten o'clock train. May
thought you would like to go with us,
Ethel"
.'Oh! so I should. It would be
NICE
But as Ethel spoke, she remembered
her fathers words: II trust YOU"
and the bright smile passed from her
face.
..No. thank you, Mrs. Wheeler" she
said; 81 am very sorry, but l cannot
90. Papa left me his plants to water:
he went off in great hurry just now"
"Oh, nonsense" cried May, '.you
mustn't stay for them; it's absurd.
They'll be all right, and you'll see
plenty quite as nice at the flower
show"
Mrs. Wheeler looked at Ethel very
steadily for moment. and then said:
Gould not one of the servants water
them. dear.'
"No, papa wished me to doit. Thank
L
not 60, Mrs. Wheeler
Mrs. Wheeler did not say any more,
but May was not at all satisfied. She
jumped out of the chaise. and tried by
kisses and loving words, to persuade
her friend to join them. 1t was very
hard tor Ethel to keep on refusing,
when she really wanted to 90 SO much.
and she had to bite her lips to keep
back the tears of disappointment; but
she still said NO" and at last she saw
the little party drive off without her.
Then she went to the conservatory,
and very carefully watered the plants,
one by one. Her task occupied her for
long time, and. as she passed from
one to another with her water-can. she
kept thinking of the fiower-show, and
how May would enjoy it; but she did
not feel at all sorry that she had re-
fused to 90. She knew that she had
done what was right, and that if she
had gone she could not have been
happy, or enjoyed looking at the beau
tiful flowers. while she felt she had
neglected her fathers plants at home.
Z Mr. Howard came home early in the
evening, and Ethel met him with a
bright smile. He looked at her earnest
", as if to see whether there were any
traces of sorrow or disappointment in
her face, and then stopped down and
kissed her.
$50 you would not 60 to the flower
show, Ethel? 1 wish I had been at
home. that you might have gone. 1 saw
Mrs. Wheeler as 1 came home, and she
tod me that they had a very enjoyable
day"
AZ have been quite happy at home."
replied Ethel, ..and l could not 60.
papa; / had not watered the plants"
II know. E. he'll said Mr.. Howard.
softly; Il am very glad that you acted