Mrs. Allison also made her appearance at the tea-table, saying that she had nearly recovered from her headache; although she still looked pale and languid.

She had a kind, motherly look, and a gentle, winning address that quite took Elsie’s fancy; and was evidently pleased at their arrival, and anxious to entertain them in the most hospitable manner.

Mr. Dinsmore and his little girl were the only guests, and all the children, excepting the baby, were allowed to come to the table.

They seemed to be well-bred children, behaved in a quiet, orderly way, and asked politely for what they wanted, but were rather too much indulged, Mr. Dinsmore thought, as he observed that they all ate and drank whatever they fancied, without any remonstrance from their parents.

Elsie was seated between her father and Miss Rose.

“Will your little girl take tea or coffee, Mr. Dinsmore?” asked Mrs. Allison.

“Neither, thank you, madam:  she will take a glass of milk if you have it; if not, cold water will do very well,”

“Why, Elsie, I thought I remembered that you were very fond of coffee,” Rose remarked, as she filled a tumbler with milk and set it down beside the little girl’s plate.

“Elsie is a good child, and eats and drinks just whatever her father thinks best for her, Miss Allison,” said Mr. Dinsmore, preventing Elsie’s reply.  “No, no; not any of those, if you please,” for Rose was putting hot, buttered waffles upon Elsie’s plate; “I don’t allow her to eat hot cakes, especially at night.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Dinsmore, but are you not eating them yourself?” asked Rose, with an arch smile.

“Yes, Miss Rose; and so may she when she is my age,” he answered in a pleasant tone, accompanied by an affectionate glance and smile bestowed upon his little daughter.

“I think you are quite right, Mr. Dinsmore,” remarked Mrs. Allison.  “I know we pamper our children’s appetites entirely too much, as I have often said to their father; but he does not agree with me, and I have not sufficient firmness to carry out the reform by myself.”

“No, I like to see them enjoy themselves, and whatever I have, I want my children to have, too,” said Mr. Allison, bluntly.

“It would seem the kindest treatment at first sight, but I don’t think it is in the end,” replied Mr. Dinsmore.  “To buy present enjoyment at the expense of an enfeebled constitution is paying much too dear for it, I think.”

“Ah! young people are full of notions,” said the elder gentleman, shaking his head wisely, “and are very apt to be much more strict with the first child than with any of the rest.  You are bringing this one up by rule, I see; but mark my words:  if you live to be the father of as many as I have, you will grow less and less strict with each one, until you will be ready to spoil the youngest completely.”

“I hope not, sir; I am very sure I could not possibly love another better than I do this,” Mr. Dinsmore said with a smile, and coloring slightly, too; then adroitly changed the subject by a remark addressed to Edward.