"Oh, no, papa! No, indeed," she said.

"Besides," he went on, "don't you wish to consult _my_ taste too? Would
you not have your rooms pleasing to my eyes when I pay a visit to them,
as I shall every day?"

"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