old dress! Must I, papa?"

"You will wear whatever your Grandma Elsie or mamma directs," he
answered, giving her a warning look. 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 sha