papa," said Lulu, "if you're
willing."

"I have no objection," he answered. "Gracie was a little afraid to
receive Santa Claus alone, was she?" looking down at them with a
humorous smile as he stood by the bedside.

"Oh no, papa! I'm pretty sure I know who he is, and I'm not one bit
afraid of him," answered the little girl, with a merry laugh, catching
his hand and carrying it to her lips.

"Ah! then it was Lulu who was afraid, was it?"

"Oh no, sir! Lu's never afraid of anything."

"Indeed; you seem to have a high opinion of her courage! You need never,
either of you, be afraid or ashamed of anything but sin, my darlings,"
he added, more gravely. "If you are God's children, nothing can harm
you. He will watch over us through the dark and silent night while we
are wrapped in slumber. 'Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither
slumber or sleep.'"

"I'm so glad the Bible tells us that, papa," she said; "but I'm glad,
too, that you sleep in the next room, and have the door open always at
night, so that if I should want you, you could easily hear me call, and
come to me."

"Yes," he said, "and neither of my little girls need ever hesitate for a
moment to call for their father if they are ill or troubled in any way.

"Ah I see the stockings hanging one on each side of the fire place. But
how is Santa Claus to tell which is Lulu's and which Gracie's?"

"Why we never thought of that!" exclaimed Lulu, laughing. "But mine's a
little the largest, and it's red and Gracie's is blue. Don't you
suppose, papa, that he'll be smart enough to guess which is which?"

"I think it is likely, but you will have to take the risk," replied her
father. Then with a good night kiss he left them to their slumbers.

Day was faintly dawning when Lulu awoke. "Merry Christmas, Gracie!" she
whispered in her sister's ear. "I'm going to get our stockings and see
if there is anything in 'em," and with a bound she was out on the floor
and stealing across it to the fireplace, with care to make no noise.

She could not refrain, however, from a delighted "Oh!" as she laid hold
of the stockings and felt that they were stuffed full of something.

"Did he come? is there something in 'em?" whispered Grace, as Lulu came
back to the bedside.

"Yes, yes, indeed! they're just as full as they can be! I've brought
'em; here's yours," putting it into Gracie's hands and getting into bed
again. "Let's pull the things out and feel what they are, though we