"Please let me stay and wait on you.

Won't you have something to eat ?" "No, my dear, I have no desire for food; and you see, Chloe is coming to take care of me; so I wish you to go down at once," he said in his decided tone, and Elsie instantly rose to obey.
"You may come back if you choose when you have eaten your dinner," he added kindly.

"I love to have you here." "Thank you, papa, I will," she answered, with a brightened countenance, as she left the room.

She was soon in her place again by his side.

He was sleeping--and taking the fan from Chloe's hand without speaking, she motioned her away, and resuming her seat, sat for an hour or more, fanning him in perfect silence.
The physician had come while the family were at dinner, and leaving some medicine, had gone again, saying he was in haste to visit another patient; and assuring Elsie, whom he met in the hall as he was going out, that he did not think her papa was going to be very ill.