But, oh, Papa! I shall be so miserable if I find I have done wrong." "Nothing wrong at all, my dear," said he gently, very gently rejecting his daughter's caress.

"There can be nothing wrong in your wishing to make yourself useful; indeed, you ought to do so by all means.

Everyone must now exert himself who would not choose to go to the wall." Poor Mr.Harding thus attempted in his misery to preach the new doctrine to his child.

"Himself or herself, it's all the same," he continued; "you will be quite right, my dear, to do something of this sort; but--" "Well, Papa." "I am not quite sure that if I were you I would select Mr.Slope for my guide." "But I never have done so and never shall." "It would be very wicked of me to speak evil of him, for to tell the truth I know no evil of him; but I am not quite sure that he is honest.

That he is not gentlemanlike in his manners, of that I am quite sure." "I never thought of taking him for my guide, Papa." "As for myself, my dear," continued he, "we know the old proverb--'It's bad teaching an old dog tricks.' I must decline the Sunday-school, and shall therefore probably decline the hospital also.
But I will first see your brother-in-law." So he took up his hat, kissed the baby, and withdrew, leaving Eleanor in as low spirits as himself.
All this was a great aggravation to his misery.