Then, after turning down the light, she ran back to bed.

“Are you asleep, Eva?” she asked in a whisper.

“No dear; wide awake.”

“Then let’s talk; for I’m as wide awake as I can be.”

“But didn’t your father say you were to try for another nap?”

“I understood him to mean only that I might if I chose, not that I must; but perhaps he meant that he wanted me to; so I’ll keep quiet and try.”

She did so, saying to herself, “I just know it’s no use, for I was never wider awake in my life,” but to her great astonishment the next thing she knew it was broad daylight and Eva up and brushing out her hair before the mirror over the bureau.

“Why, I’ve been asleep and I hadn’t the least idea of such a thing!” cried Lulu springing out upon the floor and beginning to dress in all haste.

“Oh, you’ve had a nice nap and will feel the better for it all day, I’m sure,” returned Eva laughing in a kindly way; “and that is your reward for trying to do as your papa probably wished you to.  But need you hurry so? isn’t it a good while to breakfast time?”

“Yes, but I have to dress and say my prayers; and I always like so much to have a little time to chat with papa before the bell rings.”

“Lu!  Lu!” screamed the parrot, “time for breakfast!  Polly wants her coffee.”

“Just hear Polly,” exclaimed Lulu; “it does seem as if she must have sense.  I suppose she does think it’s time for breakfast.”

“Does she drink coffee?” asked Eva.

“Yes; she is very fond of it.  She gets a cup every morning.”

“She’s a very amusing pet, I think,” remarked Evelyn.  “What fun it will be to teach her to say all sorts of cute things!”

“Yes,” sighed Lulu, “but papa says if she should hear angry, passionate, or willful words from my lips she may learn and repeat them to my shame and sorrow.  But oh I hope I never shall let her hear such!”

“I don’t believe you ever will say such words any more, dear Lu,” Eva said with an affectionate look into her friend’s face.  “I don’t believe you have ever been in a passion since—­since the time that little Elsie had that sad fall.”

“No, I have not been in a rage, but I have said some angry words a few times, and oh—­as you must remember that I told you—­some very rebellious and insolent ones to my dear papa—­not so long ago.  Oh dear, I’m afraid my tongue can never be tamed!

“Papa made me learn that third chapter of James that says ’the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity and that no man can tame it.’  Then he talked to me so nicely and kindly about learning to rule my tongue and make it always speak as it ought—­wise, kind, pleasant words.  And he told me the only way to do it was by getting my heart right—­by God’s help—­because, as the Bible tells us in another place, it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh.”

“Your father takes a great deal of pains to teach and help you, dear Lu, doesn’t he?” said Eva.