ith her hand pressed to her cheek, "but the pain was so bad I couldn't
help making a noise."

"My poor dear little girl! did you think your mother would want to sleep
when her child was in pain?" Elsie said, clasping her in her arms. "No,
indeed! so do not try to bear any pain alone another time."

Mamma's loving sympathy was very sweet; the pain was soon relieved, too,
by some medicine she put into the tooth, and presently all was forgotten
in sound refreshing sleep.

Elsie came into her mamma's dressing-room the next morning, along with the
others, looking as bright and well as was her wont, yet with the boding
fear that something would be said to her about having the troublesome
tooth extracted.

However to her relief the subject was not broached at all; they had their
usual reading and prayer, recitation of texts and talk with mamma about
the lessons contained in them, and then the breakfast bell summoned them
to their morning meal.

The tooth was quiet for a few days, then ached again for several hours
harder than ever.

"O mamma, mamma, what shall I do?" sobbed the child in the midst of her
pain.

"Couldn't my little girl pluck up courage enough to have it out?" asked
the mother tenderly.

"O mamma, don't say I must! please don't; I'm so frightened at the very
thought!"

"Ah, if I could only bear it for you, my darling! but you know I cannot."

"No, dear mamma, and I couldn't be so selfish as to let you, if you could.
But must I have it out?"

"I have not said so; I should far rather my dear daughter would say must
to herself."

"Ought I, mamma?"

"Ought you not? The tooth has become only a source of pain and trouble to
you; if left it will cause the others to decay, and decayed teeth injure
the health. Health is one of God's best gifts and it is our duty to use
every means in our power to preserve it."

"Yes, mamma, but oh, I'm so afraid!" cried the child, trembling and
weeping.

"My darling, resolve to do your duty with God's help, and he will fulfill
his promise to you. 'As thy days so shall thy strength be.'"

Little Elsie had long ago given her heart to Jesus; love to him was the
ruling motive of her life, and to please and honor him she was ready to do
or endure anything. "I will try, mamma," she said, "and you too will ask
God to help me?"

Mamma gave the promise, sealing it with a very tender kiss.

Mr. Ross was going down to New York the next morning, and it was soon
arranged that