Rollo’s father was a very kind father. He took very good care of his little boy. He had a little trundle-bed made for him to sleep in, and good warm clothes for him to wear, and besides he would very often talk to him very kindly and pleasantly.

Once Rollo’s mother took cold and became sick. Her sickness increased for several days, until at last it became necessary for her to have a nurse come and take care of her.

That night Rollo was put to bed in another chamber, and his father came to hear him say his prayers, and to bid him good night. He put his cheek down to Rollo’s, and they both prayed, first one and then the other, that God would take care of them both, and forgive their sins and give them good and holy hearts, and prepare them for heaven.

Just before his father went away, he said,

“Rollo, I am going to sleep here with you to-night.”

“Are you?” said Rollo.

“Yes; the nurse is going to take care of mother, and in an hour or two, I shall come here and go to bed. Now when the morning comes, if you will pull me, and wake me up, I will tell you a little story.”

“Well,” said Rollo, “I will.”

Then his father took up the light to go away.

Rollo did not want to have the light taken away, and he said, “Father, are you going to carry away the light?”

“Yes,—wouldn’t you?” said his father.“No, sir, I think I wouldn’t.”

“Oh, yes, I think I must take the light away, and you must shut up your eyes and go to sleep.”

So Rollo laid his cheek upon the pillow, and shut up his eyes, though they quivered a little, because he was not sleepy, and pretty soon his father went away.

The next morning, little Rollo was awakened by some one rubbing him, and when he opened his eyes he found that it was his father, whose face was close to his upon the pillow.

“Rollo,” said he, “I told you, last night, that if you would pull me and wake me up, this morning, I would tell you a little story: but you kept asleep all this time, so I had to pull you and rub you and wake you up; was not that funny?”

Rollo smiled faintly, for he was not yet quite awake.Pretty soon he opened his eyes wide, and looked around the room. He saw that the window-curtains were very light, and he perceived that it was morning. His father then put his face to his, and said these words. He was praying to Almighty God.

“Oh, God, thou hast been in this room all night, watching and taking care of little Rollo and me while we have been asleep. We thank thee that thou hast kept us safely. Wilt thou take care of us all the day, and make us kind to all in the house. Do not let Rollo be disobedient or obstinate or ungrateful or unkind to little Lucy; and make us all good and happy, for Christ’s sake, Amen.”

Rollo was still and attentive while his father said these words. He wanted God to hear and do what his father asked.

“Rollo,” said his father, a few minutes afterwards, “what are you going to do all day to-day?”

“Oh,” said Rollo, “I am going to play.”

“Where are you going to get your breakfast?”

“Oh, I am going to get it down stairs, in the parlor.”

“But whose breakfast is that down in the parlor? Is it yours?”

“No, sir.”

“Did you buy it with your money?”

“No, sir.”

“Shall you get it ready?”

“No, sir, I do not know how to get the breakfast ready.”

“Then it is not your breakfast; it is all my breakfast; but as you have not got any breakfast of your own, I believe I will let you have some of my breakfast. But what are you going to do for a house to live in all day?”“Oh,” said Rollo, “I am going to live in this house.”

“But is this your house?”

“No, sir.”

“Isn’t it yours? Did not you build it?”

“No, sir.”

“Did not you buy it?”

“No, sir.”

“And haven’t you got any house to live in?”

“No, sir, not unless you let me live in yours.”

“Well, if you have not any house to live in, I will let you live in mine to-day.”

Just then Rollo pointed up to the wall, and said,

“See, there is a tiger on the wall;—it looks like a tiger.”

His father looked up at the irregular lines on the wall, which had attracted his little boy’s attention, but he could not see any thing that resembled a tiger.

“I don’t see,” said his father; “where is his head?”

“He has not got any head; it is not a tiger, it only looks like a tiger. It has got a tail.”

“Well, where is his tail?”

“I—don’t—know. I see a stag, too, and camel.”

In a minute or two his father turned Rollo’s face over gently towards himself, so that his attention should not be attracted by what he saw there. He wanted him to listen to what he was saying to him.

“Well, Rollo,” said he, “whose clothes are you going to wear to-day?”

“Oh, I am going to wear my clothes,” said Rollo; “yours would be a great deal too big.”“Have you got any clothes?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Where did you get them?”

“I—don’t—know,” said Rollo, hesitating.

“The clothes which you wore yesterday belong to me,” said his father. “Have you got any others?”

“Yes, sir,” said Rollo; “I have got some up stairs in the drawer.”

“Well, those belong to me. I paid for them with my money, and I might sell them or give them away at any time, if I chose. Have you not got any others?”

“No, sir,” said Rollo.

“Well,” said his father, “I shall let you wear those clothes of mine then. I am very glad I have got a house, and some breakfast, and some clothes for my little Rollo boy since you have not got any of your own. But I think if I get a house for you to live in, and breakfast for you to eat, and clothes for you to wear, you ought to be a very careful, faithful, obedient little boy.”