"And you are just as willing to let me keep near you, papa?" Grace said inquiringly, and with a wistful, pleading look up into his face. "Certainly, my dear little daughter. I love you not a whit less than I do your sister," he said, drawing her into a closer embrace. "However, you may both stay here reading your Bibles and Sunday school books for a half hour longer. Then I will come for you and you may spend the rest of the day as close to your father's side as you choose." With that he left them. "Such a dear, good father as ours is!" exclaimed Lulu, gazing after him with loving, admiring eyes. "Yes, indeed! I am sure there couldn't be a better or dearer one. Oh, I do love him so!" said Grace, turning over the leaves of her Bible. "Let's read verse about, Lu." "I'm agreed; and let it be the Book of Esther. I do think that is such a lovely story." "So it is; and so is Ruth, and that's shorter. I don't believe we'll have time to read all of Esther before papa comes for us." "Maybe not," assented Lulu; "so we will read Ruth." They had finished the story and were talking it over together when their father came. It was then nearly tea time. Sacred music filled up most of the evening, and all the young girls and boys retired early to bed that they might be ready for the pleasures and employments of the coming day. The older people sat somewhat longer upon the veranda, conversing upon topics suited to the sacredness of the day. They were Christians, and loved to speak of the Master and the things concerning his kingdom. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." As usual, Lulu was up early the next morning, and joined her father in a walk under the trees along the bank of the bayou. "Well, daughter, has the rest of the Sabbath made you ready for work in the school-room again?" he asked, smiling down affectionately into her face, rosy, bright, and happy with health and gay spirits. "Yes, papa, I feel more like it than I did on Saturday," she answered, lifting to his sparkling eyes, full of affection. "I rejoice to hear it," he said; "for it is by no means a pleasant task to me when I have to compel a pupil--whether one of my own children or the child of someone else--against his or her inclination; though I enjoy teaching when all are happy and interested."