Then Elsie usually had one or two texts to recite, which she had learned while Chloe was dressing her; after that they knelt down and Mr.Dinsmore prayed.

They never read more than a few verses, and his prayer was always short, so that there was no room for weariness, and Elsie always enjoyed it very much.

They had still a little time to talk together before the breakfast-bell rang, of which Elsie was very glad, for she had a great deal to say to her father.
"It is such a sweet, sweet Sabbath-day, papa," she said, "is it not?
and this is such a nice place, almost as pretty as our own dear home; and are they not pleasant people?
I think they seem so kind to one another, and to everybody." "Which must mean you and me, I suppose; there is no one else here," he answered smilingly.
"Oh! the servants, you know, papa, and the people at the hotel: but don't you think they are kind ?" "Yes, dear, they certainly seem to be, and I have no doubt they are." "And the baby, papa! isn't it pretty, and oh, papa, _don't_ you like Miss Rose ?" "I hardly know her yet, daughter, but I think she is very sweet looking, and seems to be gentle and amiable." "I am glad you like her, papa; and I knew you would," Elsie said in a tone of great satisfaction.
The church the Allisons attended was within easy walking distance of Elmgrove, and service was held in it twice a day; the whole family, with the exception of the very little children and one servant, who stayed at home to take care of them, went both morning and afternoon, and Mr.
Dinsmore and Elsie accompanied them.
The interval between dinner and afternoon service Elsie spent in her father's room, sitting on a stool at his feet quietly reading.

When they had returned from church Miss Allison gathered all the little ones in the nursery and showed them pictures, and told them Bible stories, until the tea-bell rang; after which the whole family, including children and servants, were called together into the sitting-room to be catechized by Mr.Allison; that was succeeded by family worship, and then they sang hymns until it was time for the children to go to bed.
As Elsie laid her head on her pillow that night, she said to herself that it had been a very pleasant day, and she could be quite willing to live at Elmgrove, were it not for the thought of her own dear home in the "sunny South." The next morning her father told her they would be there for several weeks, and that he would expect her to practise an hour every morning--Miss Rose having kindly offered the use of her piano--and every afternoon to read for an hour with him; but all the rest of the day she might have to herself, to spend just as she pleased; only, of course, she must manage to take sufficient exercise, and not get into any mischief.
Elsie was delighted with the arrangement, and ran off at once to tell Sophy the good news.
"Oh! I am ever so glad you are going to stay!" exclaimed Sophy joyfully.
"But why need your papa make you say lessons at all?
I think he might just as well let you play all the time." "No," replied Elsie, "papa says I will enjoy my play a great deal better for doing a little work first, and I know it is so.

Indeed, I always find papa knows best." "Oh, Elsie!" Sophy exclaimed, as if struck with a bright thought, "I'll tell you what we can do! let us learn some duets together." "Yes, that's a good thought," said Elsie; "so we will." "And perhaps Sophy would like to join us in our reading, too," said Mr.
Dinsmore's voice behind them.
Both little girls turned round with an exclamation of surprise, and Elsie, taking hold of his hand, looked up lovingly into his face, saying, "Oh, thank you, papa; that will be so pleasant." He held out his other hand to Sophy, asking, with a smile, "Will you come, my dear ?" "If you won't ask me any questions," she answered a little bashfully.
"Sophy is afraid of you, papa," whispered Elsie with an arch glance at her friend's blushing face.
"And are not you, too ?" he asked, pinching her cheek.
"Not a bit, papa, except when I've been naughty," she said, laying her cheek lovingly against his hand.
He bent down and kissed her with a very gratified look.