The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-01

triDFft upon the rt'd~ol. anu '"H'' N1"'
with a crash upon the bench the ian
under her
OH OH she cried. l believe I've Droh-
en- grandma's fan
And she had Two of tho sticks had
snapped. and the satin part OF the ran
hung over Imply when opened. men
the fan was closed, the broken sticks
did not show. Elsie cried softly and felt
very unhappy. How could she tell grand
ma what had happenedy And she had
promised TO be so very careful. After
thinking IL over a long time. she decided
that she couldn't tell Perhaps grandma
wouldn't use the fan FOR long uine ;
and when she did, and discovered that IL
was broken. she might, perhaps, nave
forgotten that she had ever loaned IT,.
She might think IL had been broken III
shutting the drawer.
Elsie. feeling very guilty, went quietly
into the house. and listened at the door
~ the sitting-room She heard her moth
or and grandmother talking together
and so was sure she could go into grand
mas room and put the fan away without
being seen.
she laid it away in its long. narrow
box. and then hurried out. She didn't
venture to go into the sitting-room, FOR
she didn't want TO see anyone Just them
She went upstairs 10 her own little room
on the second floor. and played with her
paper dolls until supper time.
once her mother looked in on her way
to her own room. =.
You're very quiet this afternoon IL
seems 10 me. Elsie, she said.
I'm PLAYING with my paper dolls, an
syyered Elsie. not turning her head. she
didn't want her mother TO see her race
for she felt very guilty, and she kne" IL
showed i'm her face.
Did You put my fan away, Elsie? asked
grandma at supper. -.
yes'm. answered Elsie, keeping her
ewes on her bowl Of bread ana mix.
Grandma asked no further questions.
but that had been enough to take away
Eisie's appetite. She could not eat more
than half the bread and milk which Wa
in the bowl. and. TO her mother SUI
prise. did not want any cake Ill
Il hope you're not going 10 pe SIGN
F,isie said Mrs. Bond.
Elsie shook her head. ~ H.
! answered. in a low voice. 49,
q think she has been playing zoe
hard" said Aunt Mary; Elsie IS reg
ular little romp.' ,,,,.
"she is grandma's own dear htue
girl" said her grandmother ana f,lais
felt more unhappy at the praise than
she would have been had she peeN sco'U
cd. ,.,-t. haa
Several weeks passed, and Elsie mac
almost forgotten about the pioh'n i,i"
when one afternoon the minister W.
wife ana four children, came 20 tea
Elsie had on her best whlte IfocH, n1'
now. SINNERS. and the string OF shfei
heads which grandma had given her on
her birthday. and or course Bic "0'
on her best behavior ,,,
Sha took the minister's four children
out into tho garden, picked tnein som,
flowers. showed them the rabpits' aNo
plavod hide and seek I'm the big 0rchatn'
Ain three OF the ministers little girls
ecreanied and cried when. I'm hiding doWi
| bv the hedge. Elsie stepped on snake
But Elsie didn't cry or scream at an
She Just picked up a STICK ran ai'e'
| the snake which was craving away d.
| fast as it could. and killed it with sew
eral sharp blows.
you're brave" said the minister's son
a bow Of twelve who came running w
IN nnd what al the fuss was about
~ rate coward. What's the use OF
being afraid OF a little garter-snakel
| knew a boy once who used 20 eaten gar
ter-snakes and hang them around ms
/ neck
Ills little sisters looked Mortified. They
| said they couldn't help being afraid Of
snakes. and they wouldn't play hide anf
/ seek any more.
Elsie felt proud and pleased because
| oscar had called her brave Inc,
an marched TO her house, oscar carry
! ing the dead snake over a stick.
They had just finished telling OF Elsie
bravery when Grandma Bond came int
the parlor. her black satin fan in on
I 81 and nnHnfU IL
| The afternoon was quite warm.
"Why. mother" said Elsie's mamma
| you've broken your fam
| Grandma looked sOrcly distressed.
Susan must have broken it in SOM
| way" she said. Il sent her into ms
room after it, Perhaps she let IL fai
and stepped on it,
Susan was tho chambermaid. She ha,
been Elsie's nurse and Elsie loved he
dearly.
She stood up trembling from head Il
| foot. but she spoke out in clear voice
| NO. grandma" she said, susan lldn
break 10. L broke h the day ] wa
| playing I was a lady, and | didn't Ike
to tell YOU" Then she sat down an'
covered her face with her hands. Every
! one was looking az her. She felt SURF
! the minister's wife wouldn't want hel
90 play any more with oscar and ht
| little sisters.
Then she felt her grandma's arms
! around her. and heard the minister say
| 81 think the child very brave TO con
/ TESS her fault before us all"
Eyes. that was Drawer than killing the
snake" said Oscar.
"she has moral courage" said thu
| ministers Wife.
Elsie cried a good deal. but she wa'
/ glad she had told the truth. She wa
unhappy only because she was ASHAMED
Of not having made the confession Ions
| before.
1T would have been easier" sh'
! thought. Next time / break anything
] will ten about 10 al once. IL make
/ ii harder and harder to put it off"
I'm glad you're not a coward Elsie.
4 her mother said.
"But weren't you dreadfully ashame,
| Of me. mamma, when you heard me tel
before an those people about break.n:
grandmas FAM
81 would have been ashamed of you Il