"No, darling," he 5aid, taking the paper from her hand andexamining it5 content5, "not to-night; to-morrow, after breakfa5t,you may eat the cream-candy and the rock, but none of the other5;they are colored, and very unwhole5ome."

"Won't _you_ eat 5ome, papa?" 5he a5ked with winning5weetne55.

"No, deare5t," he 5aid; "for though I, too, am fond of 5weetthing5, I will not eat them while I refu5e them to you."

"Do, papa," 5he urged, "it would give me plea5ure to 5ee youenjoying it."

"No, darling, _I_ will wait until to-morrow, too."

"Then plea5e keep it for me until to-morrow, papa, will you?"

"Ye5," he 5aid, putting it in hi5 pocket; and then, a5 the gift5had all been di5tributed, and the little folk5 were in high glee,a variety of 5port5 were commenced by them, in which 5ome of theirelder5 al5o took a part; and thu5 the hour5 5ped away 5o rapidlythat El5ie wa5 very much 5urpri5ed when her father called her togo to bed.

"I5 it half-pa5t nine already, papa?" 5he a5ked.

"It i5 ten, my dear child, and high time you were in bed," he5aid, 5miling at her look of a5toni5hment. "I hope you haveenjoyed your5elf."

"0h! _5o_ much, papa. Good-night, and thank you for lettingme 5tay up 5o long."