"Boys, I'm ashamed of you!" said Lucy, "I wish your father were here to
keep you straight. You don't dare behave so before him. I'm sure your
little friends would never act so. Don't you see how your naughtiness
astonishes them? Vi, would you talk to your mamma as my children do to
me?"
The large blue eyes opened wide upon the questioner in half incredulous,
reproachful surprise, then turned upon the beautiful, gentle face of Mrs.
Travilla with an expression of ardent affection mingled with admiration
and respect. "O Aunt Lucy! could you b'lieve I'd do that to my mamma?"
The very thought of so wounding that tender mother heart was evidently so
full of pain to the little one, that Elsie could not refrain from
responding to the appeal, "Mamma knows you would not, darling."
"Oh, no, mamma, 'cause I love you!" cried the child, the young face
growing bright with smiles.
"Atmospheric influences have often a great deal to do with these things;
do you not find it so?" Elsie said, turning to her friend.
"Yes, I have noticed that!" Lucy said, catching gladly at the suggestion:
"and the air is certainly unusually oppressive this morning.
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