Presently he put it into her hands, and pointing to the thirteenth
and fourteenth chapters of John's Gospel, bade her carry the book
to a low seat by the window, and sit there until she had learned
them perfectly.
"O papa! what a nice lesson!" she exclaimed, looking up
delightedly into his face; "but it won't be any punishment,
because I love these chapters dearly, and have read them so often
that I almost know every word already."
"Hush, hush!" he said, pretending to be very stern; "don't tell me
that my punishments are _no_ punishments, I don't allow you
to talk so; just take the book and learn what I bid you; and if
you know those two already, you may learn the next."
Elsie laughed, kissed his hand, and tripped away to her window,
while he threw himself down on the couch and took up a newspaper,
more as a screen to his face, however, than for the purpose of
reading; for he lay there closely watching his little daughter, as
she sat in the rich glow of the sunset, with her sweet, grave
little face bending over the holy book.
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