“Yes, papa; good-night,” and she held up her face for the accustomed kiss.

“Good-night, daughter,” he replied, bestowing the caress.  Then laying his hand gently on her head, he said softly, “God bless and keep my little one.”

Rose, who was seated on the sofa beside him, drew Elsie to her, saying, “I must have a kiss, too, darling.”

“Now go, daughter,” said Mr. Dinsmore, as Rose released her from her embrace, “go to bed as soon as you can, and don’t lie awake talking.”

“Mayn’t I talk at all, after I go to bed, papa?”

“No, not at all.”

Seeing that Elsie was really going, Sophy had put away her book, and was now ready to accompany her.  She was quite a talker, and rattled on very fast until she saw Elsie take out her Bible; but then became perfectly quiet until Elsie was through with her devotions, and Chloe had come to prepare her for bed.  Then she began chatting again in her lively way, Elsie answering very pleasantly until she was just ready to step into bed, when she said gently, “Sophy, papa said, before I came up, that I must not talk at all after I got into bed, so please don’t be vexed if I don’t answer you, because you know I must obey my father.”

“Pshaw! how provoking.  I thought we were going to have such a good time, and I’ve got ever so much to say to you.”

“I’m just as sorry as you are, Sophy, but I can’t disobey papa.”

“He’d never know it,” suggested Sophy in a voice scarcely above a whisper.

Elsie started with astonishment to hear Miss Rose’s sister speaking thus.

“Oh, Sophy! you can’t mean to advise me to deceive and disobey my father?” she said.  “God would know it, and papa would soon know it, too, for I could never look him in the face again until I had confessed it.”

Sophy blushed deeply.  “I didn’t think about its being deceitful.  But would your papa punish you for such a little thing?”

“Papa says disobedience is never a little thing, and he always punishes me when I disobey him; but I wouldn’t care so much for that, as for knowing that I had grieved him so; because I love my papa very dearly.  But I must not talk any more; so good-night;” and she climbed into bed, laid her head on the pillow, and in a very few moments was fast asleep.

CHAPTER XVI.

“Hail, Holy Day! the blessing from above
Brightens thy presence like a smile of love,
Smoothing, like oil upon a stormy sea,
The roughest waves of human destiny—­
Cheering the good, and to the poor oppresse’d
Bearing the promise of their heavenly rest.”

MRS. HALE’S PRIME OF LIFE.

When Chloe came in to dress her young charge the next morning, she found her already up and sitting with her Bible in her hand.

“Don’t make a noise, mammy,” she whispered; “Sophy is still asleep.”

Chloe nodded acquiescence, and moving softly about, got through the business of washing and dressing her nursling, and brushing her curls, without disturbing the sleeper.  Then they both quietly left the room, and Elsie, with her Bible in her hand, rapped gently at her father’s door.