He stepped quietly to one side,
and Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side. To
her great surprise, she found no light in the room,--her mother was
sitting in the twilight, on a low chair by the window. "Mother," said
the child, "are you angry because I was away such a long time?" and she
put her arms around her mother's neck as she spoke. "No, no, Wiseli,"
said her mother, kindly; "but I am glad that you have come at last."
The girl began at once to tell her mother about the delightful coast
she had had on Otto's pretty sled,--how she had gone twice down the
hill, and how pleasant it was. When she had finished her little story,
she noticed, for the first time, how very quiet her mother was,--much
more so than usual,--and she asked anxiously, "Why have you not lighted
the lamp, mother?"
[Illustration: WISELI HASTENED INTO THE ROOM, AND WENT TO HER
MOTHER'S SIDE]
"I feel so weary this evening, Wiseli," replied her mother, "that I
could not get up to light it. Go get it now, my child, and bring me a
little water to drink at the same time, I am so very thirsty." Wiseli
hastened to the kitchen, and soon returned with the light in one hand,
and in the other a bottle filled with red syrup, that looked so
temptingly clear and good, that the thirsty invalid called out eagerly,
"What is that you are bringing me? It looks so good!"
"I do not know," said the child; "it was standing on the kitchen-table.
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