“Dear papa, thank you,” she said, lifting dewy eyes to his; “it is such a beautiful, beautiful blessing!”
“It is indeed! the blessing which the Lord directed Moses to give to Aaron and his sons to use in blessing the children of Israel; adding ‘and they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.’ Now again good-night, daughter. Get to bed and to sleep as quickly as you can.”
Lulu obeyed, and her head had scarcely more than touched the pillow before her senses were lost in sound sleep, from which she did not awake till just as the sun appeared above the tree-tops.
“Oh, what a lovely morning! everything looking so beautiful within and without!” she exclaimed to herself, glancing around the handsomely furnished room, then out at the beautiful grounds. “Ah, I want a morning stroll with my dear father!” and with the words she sprang from the bed and began a hasty but neat toilet; but first she laid her Bible open on the dressing-table that she might commit a verse or more to memory as she worked.
Then a few moments were spent on her knees giving thanks for God’s protecting care over her and hers during the silent watches of the night, the many, many blessings of her lot in life, and the hope of eternal life through the righteousness and atoning blood of Christ, confessing her sins, asking forgiveness for Jesus’ sake, and help to love him more and serve him better.
Grace still slept soundly, as Lulu discovered on peeping in at the open door communicating with her own room. Polly woke and called for a cracker, according to her custom. Lulu gave her one, told her to be silent and not disturb tired sleepers, then passed quietly out to the hall and to Marian’s door, where she stood listening till satisfied that no movement was going on within that room; then seeing her father passing out of his dressing-room into the hall, she ran to him, was welcomed with a smile and a kiss, slipped her hand into his, and they went down the stairs together.
“Have you had anything to eat?” he asked, adding, “It will be more than an hour yet before we are called to breakfast, and that will make too long a fast from the time you must have left your bed.”
“No, sir, I haven’t,” she replied. “Shall I call for a glass of milk for you and one for myself?”
“Suppose instead we take a basket and go out to the strawberry bed. How would you like that?” he asked.
“Oh, ever so much, papa!” she exclaimed delightedly. “And might we not gather some for breakfast too? Mamma Vi and the rest will enjoy them as well as you and I.”