Little Falls transcript., 1886-04-09
ELSIE.

Certainly there is no teacher like ex-
perience, though the lessons that she
teaches us are often bitter ones.
"You will never learn caution, my
boy, till you do yourself or some one
else a mischief" Mr.. Foster had said
to his son Norman, q hundred times.
Norman was always doing some
wild and reckless climbing some
OF the highest trees in the garden, at
the risk OF breaking his neck; wading
in the river beyond his depth; riding
barebacked on his fathers horse;
playing with the fierce old Watchdog
that snarled and showed his teeth at
every one who tried to caress him.
Norman had no brothers, but he had
a little sister named Elsie, three years
syounger than himself, OF whom he was
very fond. There was nothing that he
liked better than to have Elsie, as he
called it, call to himself" and though
he was so wild and willful when 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 c.uld give up his own wishes to do
the things she asked him, and never
speak a rough or impatient word to
her.
Norman is always 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 1
am going to tell you, when in his bold
play he did thing that he never aft
erward forgot, or forgaye himself FIR
as long as he lived.
The two children had been sitting one
morning with their mother in the din
ing-room, talking, and looking at pict-
ure-books very happily, till, after q
good while had passed, one OF the SER
wants come to the door and told her
mistress that somebody wanted her.
'"Then l must send you up stairs,
my little Elsie" Mrs. Foster said.
But at that moment Norman ex-
claimed, "Oh no, let us stop here. I'll
take care of Elsie"
And he had taken good care of Elsie
so often that his mother almost at
once replied, every we'll, Amuse her,
and be kind to her. and I dare say I
shall be back very soon" And rising
up, she went away 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
everything went perfectly we'll.
They played at being horses at first,
and Norman let Elsie whip him to her
heart content; then they played at
being bears. and that game went quite
harmoniously, too; and then Norman
said he would be g. asoldier, 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
the poker held like O. gun against his
shoulder.
"Only it doesn't make g. good gun;
it's not long enough; I'll get fathers
real gun," hesaid, presently. "1know
where it is. just you stay here a
minute till [ fetch it,"
And he ran out of the room, and
returned almost Immediately with q
long revolver, which he trailed after
him on the floor.
"Oh, Norman, it will shoot me!'
cried Elsie, rather terrified at the
sight. @...
But Norman explained to. her, with
such an appearance OF knowing all
about what he was saying, that guns
never went Oft by themselves; and
that. indeed, it needed very strong
hands to make them 60 of at all, that
Elsie, who always believed whatever
Norman told her, and, besides, was
not naturally timid child, soon for
got her fear, and laughed and clapped
her hands louder than ever as he be-
gan to strut up and down the room
again, leveling his revolver and pre-
tending to fire at one enemy after an
other. SZ* ..
"shoot! Bang|' cried Norman at
the top of his voice. "Shoot! Bang!
There's another down. Now Pm COM
ing to you. Shoot!' >. x. a
But there his voice all at once ceased,
for as he shouted that last word,
pointing the muzzle of his gun at Elsie
suddenly terrible explosion shook
to the floor, such q cry Of pain and
terror rang in his ears as he never be-
fore had heard, and as he never after
wards forgot. 6 .sf 4. {.
In a moment hewas on his feet again,
with his face as white as death. sOf
course, he knew quite well what he had
done. {, Y &, ii .s 81 81 .2..
.'Elsie!" he tried to gasp; but there
came no answer Huddled together
on the floor, in q little heap, quite still,
and with the red blood that oozed out
on the carpet already brginning to
stain her pretty golden hair, little El
sic lay. i s15
There was no need for Norman togo
for help. for every body had heard the
report Of tho gun, and in a afew seconds
the whole household had rushed into
the room, and then there WAS q great
/ hubbnb OF voices, and cries. and la
sment ATTIC MS, but the only words that.
Norman heard was the piteous, & My
child, my child! u that broke ii q wild
shrek from his mother 5 lips.
Was Elsie dead?
They lifted her up gsoftly from the
y floor The blue eyes we're shut, ], and
the little face wa white except for the.
etains ot 8 blood lE. upon II bat Norman