fiery little
Italian.

He was a diminutive man of rather forbidding aspect.

"I fear that in that case you would get the worst of it," Violet
remarked, with a faint smile.

"He is only a little man, Mamma Vi," Lulu said, shaking her head in
dissent; "the professor would make two of him, I think,"

"And you are only a little girl, and men and boys are, as a rule, far
stronger than women and girls," replied Violet. "But aside from that
consideration it would be a dreadful thing for you to come to a
collision; and I shall certainly do what I can to prevent it."

In pursuance of that end she presently went in search of her mother and
grandfather.

She found them and Mrs. Dinsmore seated together on the lawn; the ladies
busied with, their needlework, Mr. Dinsmore reading aloud.

As Violet approached, he paused, and laying the open book down on his
knee, made room for her by his side.

"Don't let me interrupt you, grandpa," she said, accepting his mute
invitation.

"Perhaps grandpa is ready to rest," remarked her mother; "he has been
reading steadily for more than an hour."

"Yes; I am ready to hear what my little cricket has to say," he said,
looking inquiringly at Violet.

"It will keep, grandpa," she answered lightly.

"No," he said, "let us have it now; I see something is causing you
anxiety and you have come to ask counsel or help in some direction."

"Ah, grandpa," she responded, with a smile, "you were always good at
reading faces;" then went on to repeat the conversation just held with
Lulu.

"What do you say, grandpa, grandma, and mamma," she wound up, "shall we
insist on her taking music-lessons of Signor Foresti?"

"Yes," said Mr. Dinsmore, with decision; "he is an uncommonly fine
teacher, and it is desirable that she should enjoy, or rather profit by,
his instructions; also it is high time she should become thoroughly
convinced of the necessity of controlling that violent temper of hers.
She needs to be taught submission to lawful authority too; and indulging
her in this whim would, in my judgment, be likely to have the very
opposite effect. What do you say, Rose and Elsie?"

"I presume you are right, Horace, as you usually are," replied his wife.

"I prefer to leave the question entirely to your decision, papa," said
Elsie. "But shall we not yield to the child's wishes so far as to warn
the man beforehand that he is never, upon any pretext, to give her a
blow? I will not have him strike Rosi