After tea, when all were together upon the front veranda, Grandma Elsie in a reclining chair, the others grouped about her, the talk turned upon the approaching Christmas and how it should be celebrated—what gifts prepared for friends and servants.

Various plans were suggested, various gifts spoken of, but nothing settled.

The little girls took a deep interest in the subject, and when they separated for the night each one's thoughts were full of it; Lulu's perhaps even more so than those of any other, not of what she might receive, but what she would like to give.

"Papa," she said, when he came into her room to bid her good-night, "I do so want to make some pretty things to give at Christmas time. Please, won't you let me?" and look and tone were very coaxing.

"My dear little daughter," he replied, taking possession of an easy-chair and drawing her to a seat upon his knee, "it would give me much pleasure to indulge you in this, but you have lost a good deal of time from your studies of late, and I know very well that to allow you to engage in the manufacture of Christmas gifts would have the effect of taking your mind off your lessons in a way to prevent you from making much, if any, progress with them."

"Then you won't let me, papa?"

"No, my child. If you choose you may use your pocket-money, and some more that I will give you, to buy what you please, that will not make any work for you. Your studies must be faithfully attended to, and the greater part of your remaining time I wish you to spend in out-of-door amusements which will, I hope, both give you much pleasure and keep you in vigorous health.

"I could not bear to see my dear eldest daughter growing pale and thin, or failing to improve her mind and talents so that she may in due time become a noble, useful woman, capable of doing with her might whatever work her heavenly Father may be pleased to give her."

A wofully ill-used, discontented look had come over Lulu's expressive countenance as her father began what he had to say, but before he had finished it was replaced by a much sweeter one of contentment with his decision, and confiding filial love.

"Papa, dear, I did at first very much want you to say yes to my petition, but now I see that you know best and am quite content to do as you have said you want me to," she returned, putting her arm about his neck and laying her cheek to his in her accustomed fashion when her heart was swelling with daughterly affection.

"My dear child, your ready acquiescence in your father's decision makes you dearer than ever to him, if that be possible," he said, holding her close with many a fond caress.

Meanwhile Rosie and Evelyn, occupying adjoining rooms, were chatting gaily of what they should make for one and another of those they loved.

Suddenly Evelyn paused, a very thoughtful look overspreading her expressive face.

"Well, what is it?" asked Rosie in a bantering tone; and Evelyn answered, "I was just thinking that all this, should we undertake it, will be apt to take our minds from our lessons, which are certainly of far greater importance."

"And that Captain Raymond may veto it on that account?" asked Rosie, with a twinkle of fun in her eye.

"Possibly he may; and if he does, I, for one, shall certainly obey him," replied Evelyn, speaking in a sober, earnest way that said plainly she was far from being in jest.

"Well, I make no rash promises," laughed Rosie; "and I'm not very much afraid of that brother-in-law of mine, stern as he can look when it suits him."

"But you will want to please your dear mother?" returned Evelyn, in a tone between assertion and inquiry.

"Yes," replied Rosie, sobering down at once; "I could refuse nothing to dear mamma. I would do anything and everything in my power to add to her happiness. Oh, how glad and thankful I am that she has been spared to us!"

"I, too," said Evelyn. "I think I could hardly love her better if she were really my very near relative."

A moment of silence followed, presently broken by Rosie. "Well, I suppose," she said with a return to her jesting tone, "it may be our wisest plan to consult his lordship—Captain Raymond—in regard to the matter just now under discussion—whether we—his prospective pupils—may or may not engage in the work of preparing Christmas gifts for other folk."

"I, at least, certainly intend doing so," replied Evelyn. "Obedience to his wishes—to say nothing of orders—it strikes me will be the very least we can do in return for his great kindness in taking the trouble to instruct us."

"There, you are right!" said Rosie. "I hadn't thought of that before. It is very good in him and I shall really try to show him that I am one of the best and most tractable of pupils."

"Suppose we join him and Lu to-morrow in their morning walk, as we did to-day, and then and there improve the opportunity to discuss this momentous question," suggested Evelyn laughingly.

"I am strongly in favor of so doing, provided I wake in season," returned Rosie, and with that they separated for the night.

They carried out their plan, had a pleasant little morning ramble and chat with the captain and Lulu, and finding that such was his wish, promised to do but little in the way of making Christmas gifts, in order that their time and attention might be the more fully occupied with their studies, which they were all to take up again on the following Monday.

"And this being Friday, we have only to-day and to-morrow for play. It looks like rain, too," sighed Rosie disconsolately, glancing up at the sky as she spoke; "so we are not likely to have much out-of-door sport."

"Ah, well, little sister, we must not grumble about the rain, for it is needed; and there are the verandas for you young folks to sport upon," returned the captain.

"Besides, your big brother is not intending to be so hard upon you as to allow no diversion after lessons are resumed. I hope you will all have many an hour for romping, riding, driving, boating, and walking."

"Pleasant chats, too, and interesting books to read; music, and games besides," remarked Evelyn. "Oh, we are not likely to suffer from lack of diversion when we have been good and industrious enough to deserve it," she added, with a smiling look at the captain.

"As I have little doubt that you will be always," he returned, smiling kindly upon her.

By the time breakfast and family worship were over a gentle rain was falling, and instead of seeking out-of-door amusement, the whole family gathered upon the veranda at the front of the house.

Just then a pretty well-filled mail-bag made its appearance, and presently nearly everybody had one or more letters in hand.

Noticing that her father had several, Lulu presently drew near him and asked, "Mayn't I help you answer those, papa?"

"Thank you, dear child," he returned, smiling fondly upon her, "you may if you wish, but I have plenty of time to do the work myself this morning, and would be sorry to deprive you of the pleasure you might be taking with your mates."

"I'll have time enough for that afterward, papa, and would very much rather do a little to help you—if it will be a help, instead of a trouble to you to have me use my machine in that way," she said, with a look up into his eyes that showed plainly how anxious she was to have her offer accepted.

"Then you shall, my darling," he returned, and taking her hand led her into the library, seated her before her typewriter, supplied paper and envelopes, and began dictating to her as on the two former occasions.

"It grieves me to rob my dear little girl of any of her holiday time," he remarked, as the first letter was completed, laying his hand caressingly on her head. "Your father loves to see you enjoying yourself."

"Yes, dear papa, I know that," she replied, with a pleased loving look up into his face, "but there is nothing I enjoy more than feeling that I can be of a little help and comfort to you."

"Well, it will not take us long to answer these letters—there are but few to-day—and perhaps you may enjoy your sports all the more afterward," he replied, handing her a fresh sheet of paper.

"This, from our dear Max, is the only one left now," he remarked presently; "and he, I know, would rather have his reply in papa's own handwriting; but, shall I read this to you, daughter?"

"Oh, I should like to hear it, papa!" was her eager response. "Please, may I sit on your knee while I listen?"

"Indeed you may," he answered, drawing her to the coveted seat and putting his arm about her waist. "Maxie does write such good, interesting letters, and I'm so much obliged to you for reading this one to me, papa," she said, when he had finished.

"You are very welcome, daughter; and now you may go back to your mates while I write my reply."

On the veranda family letters had been read and discussed, meanwhile, and when Lulu joined the group they were again talking of the approaching Christmas and what gifts should be prepared for relatives, near and dear friends, and servants.

Grandma Elsie, seated in their midst, was looking quite her old self—very bright, beautiful, and sweet.

"With the housekeeping given in charge to Vi," she was saying, as Lulu drew near, "I shall have abundance of spare time and hope to prepare many gifts for——"

"No," interrupted her father, "you are to do nothing of the kind; but must devote yourself to the business of gaining strength as fast as possible."

She laughed pleasantly at that, saying, "My vacation has been a long one already, papa, for I have really done nothing worth speaking of since we returned home from the North."

"And what of that, daughter?" he responded. "You have never been an idler, but it seems to be time now for you to begin. Let your vacation go on till next spring. That is my prescription for you."

"Ah, ha, mamma!" laughed Rosie, "the captain forbids Christmas-gift making for us younger ones, and I'm mighty glad grandpa forbids it to you. 'Misery loves company,' you know."

"I hope my Rosie may never be called upon to share any worse misery," was the smiling rejoinder. "Also that she will show herself as obedient to the captain as I intend to be to her kind, loving grandpa—so tenderly careful of his daughter," with a fond look up into the face of her father, standing by her side.

"As he may well be, for she is a treasure worth guarding," he said, returning her look of love. "Rosie, when does the captain propose beginning his labors as tutor?"

"Next Monday morning, grandpa; so we want to crowd all the fun and diversion we can into to-day and to-morrow."

"Ah, we must select a schoolroom and furnish it with whatever may be necessary!" exclaimed Violet.

"Yes," her mother said; "the room used for that purpose when you were a very little girl will answer nicely. Its desks were sent to the attic when no longer needed. You might order them brought down to-day, the room swept and dusted, and whatever else done that is necessary or desirable, so that it will be quite ready for occupation on Monday."

"Thank you, mamma; I will have it attended to at once," Violet replied, and hastened away, Rosie running after her with a "Come girls, let us go and see the room and find out whether it has a closet for the captain to shut us up in when we misbehave."

"I don't believe he'll use it if it has," laughed Lulu, rather enjoying Rosie's fun, "for he has never punished any of us—his own children—in that way."

"Still there is no knowing but he may take a new departure, now, when he's going to have so distinguished a pupil as myself," pursued Rosie, dancing down the hall with the others close in her rear.

They followed Violet to the room Grandma Elsie had spoken of, and found it large and airy, with windows down to the floor,—opening out upon the veranda on that side of the house,—the walls prettily papered and adorned with good pictures, handsomely framed; the floor covered with fine matting, furniture handsome, a pretty clock and vases on the mantel. On one side of that was a door to which Rosie flew and, throwing it wide open, brought to view a large closet.

"There!" she exclaimed, "didn't I tell you, girls and Walter?" for he was in the company by that time, "here's the place of incarceration for those who shall dare to disobey Captain Raymond. I for one shall certainly try to behave my prettiest, for I wouldn't like to be shut up in the dark."

"Well, it appears to me that you are more likely to come to it than any of the rest of us," observed Walter quietly, as he turned on his heel and walked away.

"Did you ever hear the like?" cried Rosie, opening her eyes very wide in pretended astonishment.

"What's all this?" asked a familiar voice at the door, and turning at the sound they saw Captain Raymond standing there, looking very grave and slightly reproving, but with a perceptible twinkle of fun in his eyes.

"We were just looking at the closet you are going to use for the incarceration of the naughty ones, for this is to be your schoolroom, you see, sir," returned Rosie demurely.

"And you expect to enjoy a sojourn there?" he queried, coming forward and himself taking a survey of the interior. "It strikes me it would suit better as a receptacle for school-books and the like."

"So it would," she said, with a sigh of pretended relief; "and we, your pupils that are to be will venture to hope that you will see best to devote it to that use."

"A hope in which you will not be disappointed, I trust," he replied, in a kindly tone, and laying a hand lightly upon her shoulder.

"There girls!" she exclaimed, "you may thank me for extracting such a promise beforehand. I do really believe his honor intends to treat us well if we are reasonably well behaved."

"And the rest of us are quite sure of it," added Evelyn, with a bright look up into the captain's face.

"Thank you for your confidence, my dear," he returned. "I have little doubt that we will have pleasant times together in this very pleasant room."

A little more time was spent in examining the room and commenting upon its beauties and conveniences; then they went back to the veranda to find that the sun had begun to peep through the clouds.

So carriages were ordered and all took a drive through the beautiful woods.

The afternoon was spent in boating and fishing, the evening in the veranda, where they were joined by their relatives from Magnolia Hall and the parsonage.

The manner in which they would spend the approaching Christmas and New Year's Day was the principal subject of conversation, and the young folks were particularly interested in listening to the plans made or suggested, and well satisfied with the proposed arrangement that the cousins should spend the first at Viamede, all gather at Magnolia Hall for their New Year's dinner, and pass the evening of that day at the parsonage.

Lulu had a talk with her father in her own room at bedtime, that made her feel very happy and entirely content with his prohibition of the making of gifts.

He told her that she and Grace might each make out a list of the articles they would like to buy to present to others, and that some one, probably Mr. Embury—Cousin Millie's husband—who was intending to pay a visit of a few days to New Orleans, would kindly make the purchases for them.

"Oh, that will do nicely, papa!" she exclaimed delightedly, "and Gracie and I might make out our lists to-morrow with a little help from our dear father," smiling up into his eyes.

"Yes, dear child, I will gladly give you both all the assistance in my power," he replied, softly smoothing her hair, for she was—as usual at such times—sitting upon his knee; "and not with advice only," he continued, "but also by adding something to your means for carrying out your wishes."

"Oh, you dear papa, you are just the kindest father that ever was made!" she cried, in an ecstasy of delight, and hugging him with all her strength.

"Ah, but if you choke me to death," he said laughingly, "I can do nothing for you."

"Oh, papa, please excuse me!" she exclaimed, relaxing her hold. "Did I hurt you? oh, I am very, very sorry!"

"Not much; I could stand it very well," he returned, giving her a hug and kiss. "But now I must leave you to go to bed and to sleep."