“Yes, sir; I have my ciphering to do now.  But, papa, must I learn the lessons over and rewrite the composition this afternoon?  If you say I must, I’ll have to miss the meeting of our society.  I’d be very sorry for that and ashamed to have to tell why I wasn’t there.  Please, papa, won’t you let me go, and do my work over after I get back?  There’ll be an hour, or more before tea and then all the evening.”

He did not answer immediately, and she added, with a wistful, pleading look, “I know I don’t deserve to be let go, but you’ve often been a great deal better to me than I deserved.”

“As I well may be, considering how far beyond my deserts are my blessings,” he said with a tender smile and another kiss.  “Yes, daughter, you may attend the meeting and I shall hope to hear some excellent recitations from you before you go to your bed to-night.”

“Oh thank you, dear papa!  I’ll try my very hardest,” she exclaimed joyously, giving him a vigorous hug.

The society met at Ion that day.  The captain and Violet drove over with the children, and leaving them there while they went on some miles farther, called for them again on their return at the close of the hour appropriated to its exercises.

Grandma Elsie’s face hardly expressed approval as she examined Lulu’s work, but she let it pass, only saying in a low aside to the little girl, “It is not quite so well done as the last garment you brought in, my child, but I will overlook the partial failure, hoping the next bit of work will be an improvement upon both.”

Lulu blushed and was silent; once she would have made an angry retort, but she was slowly learning patience and humility.

On arriving at home she set immediately to work at her tasks, nor left off till the tea bell rang.  The time had been too short for her to make much progress, and it was quite a trial to have to spend the whole evening in her own room while the others were enjoying the usual pleasant hours of relaxation together;—­the sport with the babies, the familiar chat, and interesting reading; but that too she bore with patience.

It was not till the call to evening worship that she joined the family.  When the service was over she drew near her father.

“Papa, I have re-written that composition and hope you will find it a great deal better, I have studied my lessons too, till I think I can recite them creditably.”

“Ah, that is well,” he said, laying a hand tenderly on her head and smiling affectionately down into the eyes upraised to his.  “I will go with you presently to hear the lessons and examine your little essay.”

When he had done so, “I am very glad indeed, daughter,” he said, “to be able to bestow hearty praise on you this time; you have greatly improved your composition, and your recitations were quite perfect.”

He drew her to his knee as he spoke, she blushing with pleasure at his words.