Part 6 (2/2)

So we will make a beginning before long, when the weather has become settled; perhaps the first pleasant day of next week, if you have all been good and industrious about your lessons.”

”Have we earned our quarters to-day, papa?” asked Grace.

”I think you are in a fair way to do so,” he answered smiling, ”but you still have a chance to lose them between this and your bedtime.”

”It's just before we get into bed you'll give them to us, papa?” Lulu said inquiringly.

”I shall tell you at that time whether you have earned them, but I may sometimes only set the amount down to your credit and pay you the money in a lump at the end of the week.”

”Yes, sir; we'll like that way just as well,” they returned in chorus.

Violet had come in and taken possession of an easy chair on the farther side of the glowing grate.

Looking smilingly at the little group opposite, ”I have a thought,” she said lightly; ”who can guess it?”

”It's something nice about papa; how handsome he is, and how good and kind,” ventured Lulu.

”A very close guess, Lu,” laughed Violet; ”for my thought was that the Woodburn children have as good and kind a father as could be found in all the length and breadth of the land.”

”We know it, Mamma Vi; we all think so,” cried the children.

But the captain shook his head, saying, ”Ah, my dear, flattery is not good for me. If you continue to dose me with it, who knows but I shall become as conceited and vain as a peac.o.c.k?”

”Not a bit of danger of that!” she returned gaily. ”But I do not consider the truth flattery.”

”Suppose we change the subject,” he said with a good-humored smile. ”We have been making out lists of Christmas gifts and would like to have your opinion and advice in regard to some of them.”

”You shall have them for what they are worth,” she returned, taking the slips of paper Max handed her, and glancing over them.

CHAPTER IV.

The parlor at Ion, full of light and warmth, looked very pleasant and inviting this evening. The whole family--not so large now as it had been before Capt. Raymond took his wife and children to a home of their own--were gathered there;--Mr. Dinsmore and his wife--generally called Grandma Rose by the children--Grandma Elsie, her son Edward and his wife, Zoe, and the two younger children;--Rosie and Walter.

The ladies and Rosie were all knitting or crocheting. Mr. Dinsmore and Edward were playing chess, and Walter was deep in a story book.

”Zoe,” said Rosie, breaking a pause in the conversation, ”do you know, has mamma told you, about her new plans for benevolence? how she is going to let us all help her in distributing her funds?”

”Us?” echoed Zoe inquiringly.

”Yes; all her children; and that includes you of course.”

”Most a.s.suredly it does,” said Grandma Elsie, smiling tenderly upon her young daughter-in-law.

Zoe's eyes sparkled. ”Thank you, mamma,” she said with feeling. ”I should be very sorry to be left out of the number; I am very proud of belonging there.

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