, Pomp"--to the servant--"hand this
to Miss Elsie."

The child's eyes sparkled with pleasure, and she held out her hand
eagerly to take it.

But her father interfered.

"No, Pomp," he said, "bring it to me; and remember, in future, that _I_
am to receive _all_ Miss Elsie's letters."

Elsie relinquished it instantly, without a word of remonstrance, but her
heart was so full that she could not eat another morsel; and in spite of
all her efforts the tears would come into her eyes, as she saw her father
deliberately open and read the letter, and then refold and put it into
his pocket. He looked at her as he did so, and seeing the tears rolling
down her cheeks, sternly bade her leave the room,

She obeyed, feeling more angry and rebellious toward him than she ever
had before. It seemed so cruel and unjust to deprive her of her own
letters; one of Miss Rose's--as she knew it must be, for she had no other
correspondent--which never contained anything but what was good, and
kind, and comforting. They were always a great treat to the little girl,
and she had been longer than usual without one, and had been looking
longingly for it every day for several weeks past; for sad and lonely as
her days now were, she felt very keenly the need of her friend's sympathy
and love; and now to have this letter taken from her just as she laid her
hand upon it, seemed a disappointment almost too great to be endured. She
had a hard struggle with herself before she could put away entirely her
feelings of anger and impatience.

"Oh! this is not honoring papa," she said to herself; "he may have good
reasons for what he has done; and as _I_ belong to him, he certainly has
a sort of right to everything that is mine. I will try to be submissive,
and wait patiently until he sees fit to give me my letter, as perhaps he
will, some time."

All the morning the thought of her letter was scarcely out of her mind,
and as soon as she was released from school duties, and dressed for
dinner, she went down to the drawing-room, hoping that her father might
be there, and that he would give it to her.

But he was not in, and when he came, brought a number of strangers with
him, who remained until after tea; so that all the afternoon passed away
without affording her an opportunity to speak to him. But, to her great
joy, the visitors all left early in the evening, excepting a very mild,
pleasant-looking, elderly gentleman, who had settled himself in the
port