He laughed at her eager tone, and putting a fifty-dollar note into her hand, asked, "Will that be enough?"
Elsie's eyes opened wide with astonishment.
"I never before had half so much as this," she exclaimed. "May I spend it all, papa?"
"Provided you don't throw it away," he answered gravely; "but don't forget that I require a strict account of all your expenditure."
"Must I tell you every thing I buy?" she asked, her countenance falling considerably.
"Yes, my child, you must; not until after Christmas, however, if you would rather not."
"I will not mind it so much then," she answered, looking quite relieved; "but indeed, papa, it is a great deal of trouble."
"Ah! my little girl must not be lazy," he said, shaking his head gravely.
This was Elsie's first parting from her father since they had learned to know and love each other; and when the time came to say good-by, she clung to him, and seemed so loath to let him go, that he quite repented of his determination to leave her at home.
"O papa, papa! I cannot bear to have you go, and leave me behind," she sobbed. "I feel as if you were never coming back."