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COPYRIGHT, 1899,
BY
DODD, MEAD & COMPANY.
All rights reserved.
"What a storm! there will be no going out to-day even for the earlystroll about the grounds with papa," sighed Lucilla Raymond oneDecember morning, as she lay for a moment listening to the dash ofrain and sleet against her bedroom windows. "Ah, well! I must notfret, knowing who appoints the changes of the seasons, and that all Hedoes is for the best," her thoughts ran on. "Besides, what pleasureswe can all have within doors in this sweetest of homes and with thedearest and kindest of fathers!"
With that she left her bed and began the duties of the toilet, firstsoftly closing the communicating door between her own and her sister'ssleeping apartments lest she should disturb Grace's slumbers, thenturning on the electric light in both bedroom and bathroom, for,though after six, it was still dark.
The clock on the mantel struck seven before she was quite through withthese early morning duties, but the storm had in no wise abated inviolence, and as she heard it she felt sure that outdoor exercise wasentirely out of the question.
"And I'll not see Chester to-day," she sighed half-aloud. "It wasevident when he was here last night that he had taken a cold, and Ihope he won't think of venturing out in such weather as this."
Just then the door into Grace's room opened and her sweet voice said,"Good-morning, Lu. As usual, you are up and dressed before your lazyyounger sister has begun the duties of the toilet."
"Take care what you say, young woman," laughed Lucilla, facing roundupon her. "I am not going to have my delicate younger sister slanderedin that fashion. She is much too feeble to leave her bed at the earlyhour which suits her older and stronger sister."
"Very kind in you to see it in that light," laughed Grace. "But I mustmake haste now with my dressing. Papa may be coming in directly, forit is certainly much too stormy for him and you to take your usualstroll in the grounds."
"It certainly is," assented Lu. "Just listen to the hail and raindashing against the windows. And there comes papa now," she added, asa tap was heard at their sitting-room door.
She ran to open it and receive the fatherly caress that alwaysaccompanied his morning greeting to each one of his children.
"Grace is not up yet?" he said inquiringly, as he took possession ofan easy-chair.
"Yes, papa, but not dressed yet; so that I shall have you t