Elsie Dinsmore

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General Books LLC, 2010 - Fiction - 150 pages
Excerpt: ...I will try very, very hard. Ah! if I might climb on his knee now, and lay my head on his breast, and put my arms round his neck, and tell him how sorry I am that I have been naughty, and made him lose his bird; and how much-oh! how much I love him! But I know I never could tell him that -I don't know how to express it; no words could, I am sure. And if he would forgive me, and kiss me, and call me his dear little daughter. Oh! will he ever call me that? Or if I, might only stand beside him and lay my head on his shoulder, and he would put his arm around me, it would make me so happy." An exclamation from Enna caused Elsie to turn her head, and suddenly springing to her feet, she exclaimed in an eager, excited way, "Papa, there is a carriage coming up the avenue-it must be visitors; please, please, papa, let me go to my room." "Why?" he asked coolly, looking up from his book, "why do you wish to go?" "Because I don't want to see them, papa," she said, hanging her head and blushing deeply; "I don't want them to see me." "You are not usually afraid of visitors," he replied in the same cool tone. "But they will see that my hand is tied up, and they will ask what is the matter. O papa! do, please do let me go quickly, before they get here," she pleaded in an agony of shame and haste. "No," said he, "I shall not let you go, if it were only to punish you for getting off the seat where I bade you stay, without permission. You will have to learn that I am to be obeyed at all times, and under all circumstances. Sit down, and don't dare to move again until I give you leave." Elsie sat down without another word, but two bitter, scalding tears rolled quickly down her burning cheeks. "You needn't cry, Elsie," said her father; "it is only an old gentleman who comes to see your grandfather on business, and who, as he never notices children, will not be at all likely to ask any questions. I hope you will learn some day, Elsie, to save your tears until there is...

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About the author (2010)

Martha Finley was a remarkable woman whose quiet Christian life has influenced many. A teacher by profession, her writing career began wih Sunday school stories for children. In 1868, her novel Elsie Dinsmore was published and became the publisher's best-selling book that year, spawnin stories that sold millions of copies at home and abroad.

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