r. It will only make matters worse."

"But, papa," she said, bringing the book and slate as directed, "won't
you please let me skip these vulgar fractions?"

"I thought," he said, "that my Lulu was a brave, persevering little
girl, not ready to be overcome by a slight difficulty."

"Oh! but it isn't a slight one, papa: it's big and hard," she pleaded.

"I will go over the rule with you, and try to make it clear," he
returned, still speaking in a pleasant tone; "and then we will see what
we can do with these troublesome examples."

She sighed almost hopelessly, but gave her attention fully to his
explanation, and presently cried out joyfully, "Oh, I do understand it
now, papa! and I believe I can get the sums right."

"I think you can," he said. "Stand here by my side, and let me see you
try."

She succeeded, and was full of joy.

"There is nothing like trying, my little girl," he said, smiling at her
exultation and delight.

She came to him again after lessons were done, and Max and Grace had
left the room once more.

"May I talk a little to you, papa?" she asked.

"Yes, more than a little, if you wish," he replied, laying aside the
book he had taken up. "What is it?"

"Papa, I want to thank you for sending me out to take that run, and then
helping me so nicely and kindly with my arithmetic."

"You are very welcome, my darling," he said, drawing her to a seat upon
his knee.

"If you hadn't done it, papa, or if you had spoken sternly to me, as
grandpa Dinsmore would have done in your place, I'd have been in a great
passion in a minute. 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 h