Hand me that Bible, Aunt Chloe, and set the light a little nearer." Mr.Dinsmore was an uncommonly fine reader, and Elsie lay listening to that beautiful passage of Holy Writ, as one might listen to strains of the softest, sweetest music.
"Now, dear papa, the twenty-third of Luke, if you please," she said, when he had finished.
He turned to it, and read it without any remark.
As he closed the book and laid it aside, he saw that tears were trembling on the long, silken lashes that rested on the fair young cheek; for her eyes were closed, and but for those tell-tale drops he would have thought her sleeping.
"I feared it would make you sad, darling," he said, brushing them away, and kissing her fondly.
"No, dear papa, _oh, no_!" she answered, earnestly; "thank you very much for reading it; it has made me feel a great deal better." "Why did you select those particular passages ?" he asked, with some curiosity.
"Because, papa, they are all about Jesus, and tell how meekly and patiently he bore sorrow and suffering.

Oh, papa, if I could only be like him! I am not much like him, but it makes it easier to forgive and to be patient, and kind, and gentle, when we read about him, how good he was, and how he forgave his murderers." "You are thinking of Arthur," he said.

"_I_ shall find it very hard to forgive him; can _you_ do so ?" "Yes, papa, I think I can.

I have been praying for him, and have asked God to help me to forgive and love him." "He has treated you very badly; I know all about it now." And then, in answer to her surprised, inquiring look, he proceeded to give her an account of all that had taken place that evening in the library and drawing-room.
"And he hates me, papa," she said, mournfully, the tears filling her eyes; "why should he feel so?
I have always tried to be kind to him." "Yes, I know it," he replied, "you have often done him kindnesses, and I know of no other cause for his enmity, unless it is that you have sometimes been obliged to bear witness against him." "Yes, papa, on several occasions when he was putting all the blame of his naughty deeds on little Walter, or poor Jim." "You were perfectly right," he said, caressing her; "and he will not have another opportunity to vent his spite upon you, as he is to be sent away to boarding-school immediately." "Oh, papa!" she exclaimed, "I am so sorry for him, poor fellow! It must be so dismal to go off alone among strangers.

Dear papa, _do_ ask grandpa to forgive him, just this once; and I don't believe he will ever behave so again." "No, daughter, I shall not do anything of the kind," he answered, decidedly.