Children -- Religious life -- Juvenile fiction; Christian life -- Juvenile fiction; Tableaux -- Juvenile fiction
"Of every sort of religious fanatical notion, you will find, Mr.
Randolph! She will set herself against everything I want her to do,
after the fashion of those people, who think nothing is right but their
own way. It will be a work of extreme difficulty, I foresee, to do
anything with her after these weeks in this black woman's house. I
would have run any risk in removing her, rather than let it be so."
"Well, we shall see," said Mr. Randolph. "I cannot quite take your view
of the matter. I would rather keep the child--even for my own private
comfort--than lose her to prevent her from becoming religious."
Mrs. Randolph indignantly let this statement of opinion alone.
Little Daisy had a quiet day, meanwhile. The weather grew excessively
hot; her broken ankle pained her; it was a day of suffering. Obliged to
lie quite still; unable to change her position even a little, when the
couch became very hot under her; no air coming in at the open window but
what seemed laden with the heats of a furnace, Daisy lay still and
breathed as well as she could. All day Juanita was busy about her;
moistening her lips with orange juice, bathing her hands, fanning her,
and speaking and singing sweet words to her, as she could attend to
them. The child's eyes began to go to the fine black face that hovered
near her, with an expression of love and trust that was beautiful to
behold. It was a day that tried poor little Daisy's patience; for along
with all this heat, and weary lying still in one position, there were
shoots and twitches of pain that seemed to come from the broken ankle
and reach every part of her body; and she could not move about or turn
over to ease them by some change.
At last the weary hours began to grow less oppressive. The sun got low
in the sky; the air came with a little touch of freshness. How good it
was to see the sun lost behind the woods on the other side the road.
Juanita kindled her fire again and put on the kettle; for Daisy was to
have another cup of tea, and wanted it very much. Then, before the
kettle had boiled, came the doctor.
It was a pleasant variety. Dr. Sandford's face was a good one to see
come in anywhere, and in Daisy's case very refreshing. It was so noble a
face; the features fine, manly, expressive; with a sedate gravity that
spoke of a character above trifling. His calm, forceful eye was very
imposing; the thick auburn locks of his hair, pushed back as they were
from, his face, were beautiful to Daisy's imagination. Altogether he
fastened her attention whenever he came within reach of it; she could
not read those grave lines of his face; she puzzled over them. Dr.
Sandford's appearance was in some way bewitching to her. Truly many
ladies found it so.
He examined now the state of her foot; gave rapid comprehensive glances
at everything; told his orders to Mrs. Benoit. Finally, paused before
going, and looked into the very wise little eyes that scanned him so
carefully.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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