"Thank God! she is still ours!" exclaimed the father, almost under his
breath; then, a little louder, "Elsie, dear wife, I shall go at once for
Dr. Channing, an English physician who has been highly recommended to me."
"Do, dear husband, and urge him to come at once," she answered, in a tone
full of anxiety.
He left the room, returning with the physician within half an hour, to
find the little girl asleep on her mother's breast.
"Ah, I hope she is not going to be very ill," said the doctor, taking
gentle hold of her tiny wrist. "She seems easy now, and her papa tells me
the spasm was of very short duration."
She woke, apparently free from suffering, allowed her papa to take her,
that mamma's weary arms might rest, and in the course of the afternoon
even got down from his knee, and played about the room for a little while,
but languidly, and was soon quite willing to be nursed again, "papa,
grandpa, and Mamma Rose," as she lovingly called her young and fair
step-grandmother, taking turns in trying to relieve and amuse her.
She was a most affectionate, unselfish little creature, and though longing
to lay again her weary little head on mamma's breast, and feel the
enfolding of mamma's dear arms, gave up without a murmur, when told that
"poor mamma was tired with holding so big a girl for so long," and
quietly contented herself with the attention of the others.
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