Then motioning her to come close to his side, he whispered in her ear, "I see that you are inclined to be ill-tempered and rebellious again, as I feared you would, when I learned that you had begun the day without a prayer for help to do and feel right.

Go, now, to your room and ask it." "You needn't fret, Lu; you don't own a dress that any little girl ought to feel ashamed to wear," remarked Betty, as the child turned to obey.
"And we are all going to wear the very worst we have here with us, I presume," added Zoe; "at least such is my intention." "Provided your husband approves," whispered Edward sportively.
"Anyhow," she answered, drawing herself up in pretended offence; "can't a woman do as she pleases even in such trifles ?" "Ah I but it is the privileges of a child-wife which are under discussion now," "Now, sir, after that you shall just have the trouble of telling me what to wear," said Zoe, rising from the couch where they had been sitting side by side; "come along and choose." Lulu was in the room where she slept, obeying her father's order so far as outward actions went; but there was little more than lip-service in the prayer she offered, for her thoughts were wandering upon the subject of dress, and ways and means for obtaining permission to wear what she wished that afternoon.
By the time she had finished "saying her prayers," she had also reached a conclusion as to her best plan for securing the desired privilege.
Grandma Elsie was so very kind and gentle that there seemed more hope of moving her than any one else; so to her she went, and, delighted to find her comparatively alone, no one being near enough to overhear a low-toned conversation, began at once: "Grandma Elsie, I want to wear a white dress to the clam-bake; and I think it would be suitable, because the weather is very warm, and white will wash, so that it would not matter if I did get it soiled." "My dear child, it is your father's place to decide what concerns his children, when he is with them," Elsie said, drawing the little girl to her and smoothing her hair with soft, caressing touch.
"Yes, ma'am; but he says you and Mamma Vi are to decide this.

So if you will only say I may wear the white dress, he will let me.

Won't you, please ?" "If your father is satisfied with your choice I shall certainly raise no objection; nor will your mamma, I am quite sure." "Oh, thank you, ma'am!" and Lulu ran off gleefully in search of her father.
She found him on the veranda, busied with the morning paper, and to her satisfaction, he too was alone.
"What is it, daughter ?" he asked, glancing from his paper to her animated, eager face.
"About what I am to wear this afternoon, papa.

I would like to wear the white dress I had on yesterday evening, and Grandma Elsie does not object, and says she knows Mamma Vi will not, if you say I may." "Did she say she thought it a suitable dress ?" he asked gravely.
Lulu hung her head.