“Yes; Walter must be invited; Edward and Herbert Carrington also, and a few other well-behaved boys of suitable age. They will entertain each other and probably spend most of their time out of doors. These will be enough for you to invite to spend the week. We may, perhaps, have a larger party for Christmas Eve. You may if you wish.”
“Dear father, how very kind and indulgent you are to me!” she said with loving gratitude. “I ought to be the best and most obedient of children.”
“I think you are, my darling; and every day I thank God for giving me so dear, so precious a treasure as my only daughter. Suppose we go now to my study and write these invitations; if you are not too tired.”
“Oh, I’m not tired at all, papa; and I think it would be nice to have it done; because Annis and I are going to be very busy making Christmas things.”
“And learning lessons,” he added, as he rose and led her from the room, “they must always be attended to first; you will no doubt find it difficult at times to concentrate your thoughts upon them, but you can do so if sufficiently determined, and I shall be strict in requiring it; it will be good mental discipline for you.”
“Yes, sir,” she responded with a half sigh, as they entered the study hand in hand.
“Ah!” he said playfully, bending down to look into her face, “papa does not seem to you quite so indulgent as you thought him a little while ago.”
“Yes, papa, in everything you think for my good; and indeed I do often thank you in my heart for not indulging me in other things.”
“I don’t doubt it, my dear, submissive little daughter,” he said in tenderest tones, imprinting a kiss on the sweet, ruby lips, as she lifted her face to his.
“Now sit down here at your writing-desk and let me see if you know how to word an invitation.”