uggested Harold; "trees for corners."

"Here goes, then!" cried Richard. "Sophy, you stand here; Elsie, you take
that tree yonder. Here, Fred and May, you can play, too. One here and
another there: and now I'll be the puss."

So the game commenced, and very soon every disappointment seemed to be
forgotten, and they were all in the wildest spirits.

But after a while, as one romping game succeeded another, Elsie began to
grow weary, and seeing that her father was sitting alone upon the piazza,
she stole softly to his side, and putting her arm round his neck, laid
her cheek to his.

He passed his arm around her waist and drew her to his knee.

"Which was my little daughter doubting this afternoon," he asked gently,
as he laid her head against his breast; "papa's wisdom or his love?"

"I don't know, papa; please don't ask me. I'm very sorry and ashamed,"
she said, hanging her head and blushing deeply.

"I should be very happy," he said, "if my little girl could learn
to trust me so entirely that she would always be satisfied with my
decisions--always believe that my reasons for refusing to gratify her
are good and sufficient, even without having them explained."

"I do believe it, papa, and I am quite satisfied now," she murmured. "I
don't want to go at all. Please forgive me, dear papa."

"I will, daughter; and now listen to me. I know that you are not very
strong, and I think that a walk of two miles or more in this hot June
sun, to say nothing of stooping for hours afterwards picking berries,
exposed to its rays, would be more than you could bear without injury;
and if you want strawberries to eat, you may buy just as many as you
please, and indeed you can get much finer ones in that way than you
could find in any field. You need not tell me it is the fun you want,
and not the berries," he said, as she seemed about to interrupt him, "I
understand that perfectly; but I know it would not be enough to pay you
for the trouble and fatigue.

"And now to show you that your father does not take pleasure in thwarting
you, but really loves to see you happy, I will tell you what we have been
planning. Miss Rose and her brothers tell me there is a very pretty place
a few miles from here where strawberries and cream can be had; and we are
going to make up a family party to-morrow, if the weather is favorable,
and set out quite early in the morning in carriages. Mrs. Allison will
provide a collation for us to carry along--t