ry as hard
as you can, too," Grace said in tender, pleading tones.

"But suppose I don't want to be good?"

Grace's eyes opened wide in grieved surprise, then filled with tears.
"Oh, Lulu!" she said; "but I'm sure you do want to be good sometimes. And
can't Jesus help you to want to always? won't He if you ask Him?"

"I'm tired of the subject, and it's time for you to go to bed," was the
ungracious rejoinder.

Usually so unkind a rebuff from her sister would have caused Grace a fit
of crying, but she was too happy for that to-night. She slipped quietly
away into her mamma's rooms, and when ready for bed came to the door
again with a pleasant "Good-night, Lulu, and happy dreams!"

Lulu, already repentant, sprang to meet her with outstretched arms.
"Good-night, you dear little thing!" she exclaimed with a hug and kiss.
"I wish you had a better sort of a sister. Perhaps you will some day,--in
little Elsie."

"I love you dearly, dearly, Lu!" was the affectionate rejoinder,
accompanied by a hearty return of the embrace.

"I wish mamma would come up, for I want to tell her; 'cause I know it
will make her glad too," Grace said to herself as she got into bed. "I
mean to stay awake till she comes."

But scarcely had the little curly head touched the pillow ere its owner
was fast asleep, and so the communication was deferred till morning.

When Violet came into the room she stepped softly to the bedside, and
bending over the sleeping child gazed with tender scrutiny into the fair
young face.

"The darling!" she murmured, "what a passing sweet and peaceful
expression she wears! I noticed it several times during the evening; a
look as if some great good had come to her."

A very gentle kiss was laid on the child's forehead, and Violet passed on
into Lulu's room, moved by a motherly solicitude to see that all was well
with this one of her husband's children also.

The face that rested on the pillow was round and rosy with youth and
health, the brow was unruffled, yet the countenance lacked the exceeding
sweet expression of her sister's.

Violet kissed her also, and Lulu, half opening her sleepy eyes, murmured,
"Mamma Vi you're very good and kind," and with the last word was fast
asleep again.

Mrs. Elsie Travilla rose earlier the next morning than her wont,--a vague
uneasiness oppressing her in regard to her aged nurse,--and waiting
only to don dressing-gown and slippers went softly to Aunt Chloe's
bedside; but fin