I was feeling like just picking up my slate, and dashing it to pieces against the corner of the desk." "How grieved I should have been had you done so!" he said; "very, very sorry for your wrong-doing, and that I should have to keep my word in regard to the punishment to be meted out for such conduct." "Yes, papa," she murmured, hanging her head, and blushing deeply.
"Would breaking the slate have helped you ?" he asked with grave seriousness.
"Oh, no, papa! you cannot suppose I'm so foolish as to think it would." "Was it the fault of the slate that you had such difficulty with your examples ?" "Why, no, papa, of course not." "Then, was it not extremely foolish, as well as wrong, to want to break it just because of your want of success with your ciphering ?" "Yes, sir," she reluctantly admitted.
He went on, "Anger is great folly.

The Bible says, 'Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.' It seems to be the sort of foolishness that, more than any other, is bound in the heart of this child of mine.

It seems, too, that nothing but 'the rod of correction' will drive it out." She gave him a frightened look.
"No," he said, "you need not be alarmed: as you did not indulge your passionate impulse, I have no punishment to inflict.
"My dear, dear child, try, _try_ to conquer the propensity! Watch and pray against this besetting sin." "I will, papa," she murmured with a half despairing sigh.
Some weeks later--it was on an afternoon early in December--Lulu and Grace were in their own little sitting-room, busied in the manufacture of some small gifts for "papa and Maxie," who were, of course, to be kept in profound ignorance on the subject till the time for presentation; therefore, the young workers sat with locked doors; and when presently Maxie's boyish footsteps were heard rapidly approaching, their materials were hastily gathered up, thrust into a closet close at hand, and the key turned upon them.

Then Lulu ran and opened the door.
"Hollo!" cried Max, in a perfectly good-humored tone, "what do you lock a fellow out for?
It looks as if you're up to some mischief.

I just came to tell you there's company in the parlor, and they've asked for you, both of you." "Who are they ?" asked Lulu, glancing at her reflection in a pier-glass opposite, to make sure that dress and hair were in order.
She was neat and orderly by nature, and her father very particular about the appearance of his children; not caring to have them expensively attired, but always neat and tidy.
"The Oaks young folks," replied Max,--"Horace and Frank and their two sisters, Maud and Sydney." "Come, Gracie," said Lulu, turning to her little sister: "we both look nice, and we'll go right down." The children all felt rather flattered by the call, because the Oaks young people were older than themselves.