And now it is time for another retrospect, and fresh resolutions to try to live better, by the help of Him who is the Strength of His people, their Shield and Helper." "It hasn't been nearly so good a year with me as I hoped it would be," sighed Lulu.
"Yet an improvement upon the one before it, I think," remarked her father in a tone of encouragement.

"You have not, so far as I know, indulged, even once, in a fit of violent anger--and knowing my little girl as most truthful and very open with me--I certainly believe that if she had been in a passion she would have come to me with an honest confession of her fault." "I'm sure Lu would," said Max; "and I do think she has improved very much." "No; I haven't been in a passion, papa, and I hope if I had, I wouldn't have been deceitful enough to try to hide it from you.

But oh I've been very, very naughty two or three times in other ways, you know; and you were so good to forgive me and keep on loving me in spite of it all." "Dear child!" was all he said in reply, accompanying the words with a tender caress.
"I, too, have come a good deal short of my resolves," observed Max, with a regretful sigh.

"Yet I suppose we have both done better than we should if we hadn't made good resolutions." "No doubt of it," said his father.

"I feel it to be so in my case, though I, too, have fallen far short of the standard I set myself.