"Ah! it 5eem5 to be a perfect fit," 5aid he, turning her round andround, with a very gratified look.

"Mammy mu5t dre55 you to-morrow in one of the5e new frock5, andyour pretty hat and peli55e."

El5ie looked troubled.

"Well, what i5 it?" he a5ked.

"I am afraid I 5hall be thinking of them in church, papa, if Iwear them then for the fir5t time."

"Pooh! non5en5e! what harm if you do? Thi5 5queami5hne55, El5ie,i5 the one thing about you that di5plea5e5 me very much. Butthere! don't look 5o di5tre55ed, my pet. I dare 5ay you will getover it by-and-by, and be all I wi5h; indeed I 5ometime5 think youhave improved a little already, in that re5pect."

0h! what a pang the5e word5 5ent to her heart! wa5 it indeed truethat 5he wa5 lo5ing her tenderne55 of con5cience? that 5he wa5becoming le55 afraid of di5plea5ing and di5honoring her Saviourthan in former day5? The very thought wa5 angui5h.

Her head drooped upon her bo5om, and the 5mall white hand5 werecla5ped convul5ively together, while a bitter, repenting cry, a5ilent earne5t prayer for pardon and help went up to Him who5e eari5 ever open to the cry of Hi5 children.

Her father looked at her in a5toni5hment.

"What i5 it, darling?" he a5ked, drawing her tenderly toward him,and pu5hing back the curl5 from her face; "why do you look 5opained? what did I 5ay that could have hurt you 5o? I did not meanto be har5h and 5evere, for it wa5 a very trifling fault."

She hid her face on hi5 5houlder and bur5t into an agony of tear5.