Daisy In The Field

Papa assented, and he read; while I turned my face to the

window again, and listened to Farragut's guns and looked at

Lebanon. What a strange hour it was! There was hope at work

and rejoicing; but it shook me. And the calmness of the

everlasting hills and the mingled sweetnesses of the air, came

in upon the fever of my heart with cooling and quieting power.

The sea grew a deeper blue as I listened and looked; the

mountains - what words can tell the mantle of their own purple

that enfolded them as the evening came on; and the snowy

heights of Sunnin and Kunisyeh grew rosy. I looked and I drank

it in; and I could not fear for the future.

I believe I had fallen into a great reverie, during which Mr.

Dinwiddie ended his reading and left the room. It was papa's

touch on my shoulder that roused me. He had come to my side.

"Are you happy, Daisy?" was his question.

"Papa? -" I said in bewilderment.

"Your face was as calm as if you had nothing to think about."

"I had been thinking, papa. I was thinking, I believe."

"Does this strange news make you happy?"

"Oh, no, papa; not that."

"What then?"

"Something that is no news, and that never can grow old, papa.

The mountains and the sea were just reminding me of it."

"You mean - what? You speak riddles, Daisy."

"Papa, you would give me everything good for me, if you

could."

He kissed me fondly.

"I would, my child. Whether I can, or no, that troubles me by

its uncertainty."

"Papa, my Father in heaven can, and will. There is no doubt

about His power. And so there is no uncertainty."

"Daisy! -" said papa, looking at me in a strange way.

"Yes, papa, I mean it. Papa, you know it is true."

"I know you deserve all I can give you," he said, taking my

face in his two hands and looking into it. "Daisy - is there

anybody in the world that loves you as well as I do?"

That was a little too much, to bring up my heart in words in

that manner. In spite of my composure, which I thought so

strong, I was very near bursting into tears. I believe my face

flushed and then grew pale with the struggle. Papa took me in

his arms.

"You shall have no trouble that I can shield you from," he

said tenderly. "I will put nothing between you and this young

man if he is worthy of you, Daisy. I will pat nothing. But

others may. My power reaches only a certain distance."

"Papa -" I began, but I could not say what I would.