Transcriber's Note
A full list of Martha Finley's books has been moved to the end of this book.
Mildred and Elsie.
BY
MARTHA FINLEY,
(Martha Farquharson,)
AUTHOR OF THE "ELSIE BOOKS," "MILDRED KEITH,"
"MILDRED AT ROSELANDS," "SIGNING THE
CONTRACT," ETC., ETC.
To show us what a woman true may be."—
J. R. Lowell.
A rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded."—
Byron.
NEW YORK:,
DODD, MEAD & COMPANY,
PUBLISHERS.
Copyright, 1881, by Dodd, Mead & Company.
Mildred and Elsie.
CHAPTER I.
Breaks on the earth! while yet the scented air
Is breathing the cool freshness of the night,
And the bright clouds a tint of crimson bear."
Elizabeth M. Chandler.
Byron.
Morning was breaking over the landscape;a cool, refreshing breeze, laden with woodlandsweets and wild birds' songs, softly kissed Mildred'scheek and awoke her.
She started up with a low exclamation ofdelight, sprang to the open window, and kneelingthere with her elbow on the sill and hercheek in her hand, feasted her eyes upon thebeauty of the scene—a grand panorama ofwooded hills, falling waters, wild glens andforests and craggy mountains, above whoselofty summits the east was glowing with crimsonand gold.
Another moment and the sun burst through[Pg 6]the golden gate and began anew his daily round,"rejoicing as a strong man to run a race."
The brightness of his face was too dazzlingfor Mildred's eyes, and her gaze fell lowerdown, where wreaths of gray mist hung overthe valleys or crept slowly up the mountainsides. Presently it rested on one of the nearerhill-tops, and a sudden, vivid blush suffusedher cheek, while a sweet and tender smileshone in her eyes and hovered about her lips.
But a sigh quickly followed, smile and blushfaded away, and she dropped her face into herhands with a low-breathed exclamation, "Ohwhat shall I do? What ought I to do?"
There was a question of grave importanceawaiting her decision—a decision which wouldin all probability affect the happiness of herwhole future life on earth; yea, who should sayits influence would not reach even into eternity?
She longed to take counsel of her mother,but that moth