“Oh, yes, papa!  Yes, indeed!  I think I shall care more for that than to have them look pretty to myself,” she answered, with a look of eager delight, the cloud having entirely cleared from her brow.

“Then, I think we are not likely to have any trouble,” he said, smoothing her hair caressingly, and smiling approvingly upon her.

“Now we will go down to breakfast, and we are to set out very soon after the meal is over.”  He rose, and took her hand in his, to lead her down to the breakfast-room.

“Papa,” she said, looking up at him with eyes shining with filial love, “how kind you were to reason with me in that nice way, instead of saying sternly, as you might have done, ’Now, Lulu, if you are naughty about the choice of things for furnishing your rooms, you sha’n’t have any thing pretty for them, and when we get home I’ll punish you severely!’”

“Certainly, I might have done that, and probably with the effect of securing your good behavior,” he said; “but I think neither of us would have felt quite so happy as we do now.”

“I am sure I should not,” she said, lifting his hand to her lips.

That little talk had a most happy effect upon Lulu, so that throughout the entire day she showed herself as docile and amiable as any one could have desired.

Her father, on his part, was extremely indulgent toward all three of his children, in every case in which he felt that it was right and wise to be so, sparing no reasonable expense to gratify their tastes and wishes.  But in several matters they yielded readily to his or grandma Elsie’s better judgment; indeed, always, when asked to do so, seeming, too, well satisfied with the final decision.

They returned home, a very happy set of children, except, in Lulu’s case, when memory recalled the passionate outburst of the early part of the week with its dire consequences:  that remembrance would be a sore spot in her heart, and a bitter humiliation, for many a day, probably for the rest of her life.

Rosie was on the veranda awaiting their arrival.

“Well, have you had a good time, and bought great quantities of pretty things?” she asked, addressing the company in general.

It was Zoe who answered first.

“Yes:  if these young Raymonds are not satisfied with the furnishing of their apartments, I, for one, shall deem them the most unreasonable and ungrateful of human kind.”

“She won’t have a chance to, though,” said Max; “for we’re delighted with every thing papa has got us.  Aren’t we, Lu and Gracie?”

“Yes, indeed!” they both replied.  “Oh, we have ever so many beautiful things!  Papa and grandma Elsie helped us to choose them; so, of course, they are all just right,” added Lulu, looking gratefully from one to the other.

“She takes no account of my very valuable assistance,” laughed Zoe.

“Never mind:  you are sure to be appreciated in one quarter,” said Edward, coming up at that moment, catching her round the waist, and bestowing a hearty kiss upon each cheek.  “I have been lost without my wife all day.”