In the parlor the older people were conversing on somewhat similar topics:  first discussing plans for the entertainment and gratification of their children and other young relatives, during the approaching holidays, then of the needs of the poor of the neighborhood, and how to supply them; after that they talked of the claims of Home and Foreign Missions; the perils threatening their country from illiteracy, anarchy, heathenism, Mormonism, Popery, Infidelity, etc., not omitting the danger from vast wealth accumulating in the hands of individuals and corporations; also they spoke of the heavy responsibility entailed by its possession.

They were patriots and Christians; anxious first of all for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom upon earth, secondly for the welfare and prosperity of the dear land of their birth the glorious old Union transmitted to us by our revolutionary fathers.

It was a personal question with each one, “How can I best use for the salvation of my country and the world, the time, talents, influence and money God has entrusted to my keeping.”

They acknowledged themselves stewards of God’s bounty, and as such desired to be found faithful; neglecting neither the work nearest at hand nor that in far distant lands where the people sit in great darkness and the region and shadow of death, that on them the “Sun of righteousness might arise with healing in his wings.”

It had been expected that the guests would stay at Ion till bedtime, but a thaw had set in and ice and snow were fast disappearing from the roads; therefore all departed for their homes directly after an early tea.

Lulu was very quiet during the homeward drive; her thoughts were full of Maud’s surprising assertion in regard to her father’s wealth.

“I wonder if it is really so,” she said to herself.  “I’m tempted to ask papa; but he might not like it, and I wouldn’t want to do anything to vex or trouble him, my dear, dear kind father!”

An excellent opportunity for a private chat with him was afforded her shortly after their arrival at home.  The little ones were fretful and Violet went to the nursery with them; Max hastened to his own room to finish a composition he was expected to hand to his father the next morning, Gracie, weary with the excitement of the day, and the long morning drive, went directly to her bed, and having seen her in it, and left her there with a loving good night, the captain and Lulu presently found themselves the only occupants of the library.

Taking possession of a large easy chair, “Come and sit on my knee and tell me how you have enjoyed your day,” he said, giving her a fond fatherly smile.

“Very much indeed, papa,” she answered, accepting his invitation, putting her arm round his neck and laying her cheek to his.

His arm was around her waist.  He drew her closer, saying softly, “My dear, dear little daughter!  I thought you were unusually quiet coming home:  is anything amiss with you?”

“Oh, no, papa!  I’ve had a lovely time all day long.  How kind you were to give us all a holiday and let me go along with the rest of you.”

“Good to myself as well as to you, my darlings; I could have had very little enjoyment leaving you behind.”

“Papa, it’s so nice to have you love me so!” she said, kissing him with ardent affection.  “Oh, I do hope I’ll never, never be very naughty again!”

“I hope not, dear child,” he responded, returning her caresses.  “I hope you feel ready to resume your studies to-morrow, with diligence and painstaking?”

“Yes, papa, I think I do.  It’s almost a week since you have heard me recite; except the Sunday lesson yesterday.”

“Yes,” he said gravely, “it has been something of a loss to you in one way, but I trust a decided gain in another.  Well to change the subject, are you pleased with the prospect of spending the holidays at Ion?”

“Yes, papa; I think it will be lovely; almost as nice as having a party of our own, as we did last year.”

“Possibly we may add that a party here for a day or two if Grandma Elsie does not use up all the holidays with hers,” he said in a half jesting tone and with a pleasant laugh.

“O papa, do you really think we may?” she cried in delight.  “Oh you are just the kindest father!” giving him a hug.

He laughed at that, returning the hug with interest.

“I suppose you and Eva and the rest were laying out plans for Christmas doings this afternoon?” he said inquiringly.

“Yes, papa, we were talking a good deal about games and tableaux, and about the things we could buy or make for gifts to our friends, and what we would like to have given us.”

She paused, half hoping he would ask what she wanted from him, but he did not.  He sat silently caressing her hair and cheek with his hand, and seemingly lost in thought.

At length, “Papa,” she asked half hesitatingly, “are you very rich?”

“Rich?” he repeated, coming suddenly out of his reverie and looking smilingly down into her eyes, “yes; I have a sound constitution, excellent health, a delightful home, a wife and five children, each one of whom I esteem worth at least a million to me; I live in a Christian land,” he went on in a graver tone, “I have the Bible with all its great and precious promises, the hope of a blessed eternity at God’s right hand, and that all my dear ones are traveling heavenward with me; yes, I am a very rich man!”

“Yes, sir; but I meant have you a great deal of money.”

“Enough to provide all that is necessary for the comfort of my family, and to gratify any reasonable desire on the part of my little girl.  What is it you want, my darling?”

“Papa, I’m almost ashamed to tell you,” she said, blushing and hanging her head; “but if I do, and you can’t afford it, won’t you please say so and not feel sorry about it? because I wouldn’t ever want you to spend money on me that you need for yourself or some of the others.”

“I am glad you are thoughtful for others as well as yourself, daughter,” he said kindly; “but don’t hesitate to tell me all that is in your heart.  Nothing pleases me better than to have you, and all my dear children do so.”

“Thank you, my dear, dear papa.  I don’t mean ever to hide anything from you,” she returned, giving him another hug and kiss, while her eyes sparkled and her cheek flushed with pleasure.  “It’s a diamond ring I’d like to have.”

“A diamond ring?” he repeated in surprise.  “What would my little girl do with such a thing as that?”

“Wear it, papa.  Maud Dinsmore has such beautiful one, that a rich aunt sent her the other day,” she went on eagerly; “there’s a large diamond in the middle and little ones all round it, and it sparkles so, and looks just lovely on her hand!  We all admired it ever so much, and I said I’d be wild with delight if I had such an one; then Sydney said, ‘Why not give your father a hint that you’d like one for Christmas?’ and I said I was afraid you couldn’t afford to give me anything that would cost so much; but Maud said I needn’t be, for you were worth millions of money.  Can you really afford to give it to me, papa?  I’d like it better than anything else if you can, but if you can’t I don’t want it,” she concluded with a sigh, and creeping closer into his embrace.

He did not speak for a moment, but though grave and thoughtful his countenance was quite free from displeasure, and when, at length, he spoke, his tones were very kind and affectionate.

“If I thought it would really be for my little girl’s welfare and happiness in the end,” he said, “I should not hesitate for a moment to gratify her in this wish of hers, but, daughter, the ornament you covet would be extremely unsuitable for one of your years, and I fear its possession would foster a love of finery that I do not wish to cultivate in you, because it is not right, and would hinder you in the race I trust you are running for the prize of eternal life.

“The Bible tells us we can not serve both God and Mammon; can not love him and the world too.

“‘If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.’  God has entrusted me with a good deal of money, but I hold it as his steward, and ’it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.’”

“I don’t know what you mean, papa,” she said, with look and tone of keen disappointment.

“That I must use the Lord’s money to do his work, daughter; a great deal of money is needed to help on the advancement of his cause and kingdom in the hearts of individuals, and in the world at large.  There are millions of poor creatures in heathen lands who have never so much as heard of Jesus and his dying love; and even in our own favored country there are thousands who are sunk in poverty, ignorance and wretchedness.  Money is needed to feed and clothe them, to send them teachers and preachers, and to build churches, schools, and colleges, where they can be educated and fitted for happiness and usefulness.

“Suppose I had a thousand, or five thousand dollars, to spare after supplying my family with all that is necessary for health, comfort and happiness; could my dear eldest daughter be so selfish as to wish me to put it into a diamond ring for her at the expense of leaving some poor creature in want and misery? some poor heathen to die without the knowledge of Christ? some soul to be lost that Jesus died to save?”

“Oh no, no, papa!” she exclaimed, tears starting to her eyes, “I couldn’t be so hard hearted.  I couldn’t bear to look at my ring if it had cost so much to other people.”

“No, I am sure you could not; and I believe you would find far more enjoyment, a far sweeter pleasure, in selecting objects for me to benefit by the money the ring might cost.”

“O papa, how nice, how delightful that would be if you would let me!” she cried joyously.

“I will,” he said; “I have some thousands to divide among the various religious and benevolent objects, and shall give a certain sum perhaps as much as a thousand dollars in the name of each of my three children who are old enough to understand these things, letting each of you select the cause, or causes, to which his or her share is to go.”

“Which are the causes, papa?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with pleasure.

“There are Home and Foreign Missions, the work among the freedmen, and for the destitute in our own neighborhood, beside very many others.  We will read about these various objects and talk the matter over together, and finally decide how many we can help, and how much shall be given to each.  Perhaps you may choose to support a little Indian girl in one of the Mission schools, or some child in heathen lands; or a missionary who will go and teach them the way to heaven.”

“Oh I should love to do that!” she exclaimed, “it will be better than having a ring.  Papa, how good you are to me!  I am so glad God gave me such a father; one who tries always to teach me how to serve Him and to help me to be the right kind of a Christian.”

“I want to help you in that, my darling,” he said; “I think I could do you no greater kindness.”

Just then Max came into the room, and his father called him to take a seat by his side, saying, “I am glad you have come, my son, for I was about to speak to Lulu on a subject that concerns you quite as nearly.”

“Yes, sir; I’ll be glad to listen,” replied Max, doing as directed.

The captain went on.  “The Bible tells us, ’If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.’  If we are like Jesus in spirit, we will love others and be ready to deny ourselves to do them good; especially to save their souls; for to that end he denied himself even to the shameful and painful death of the cross.

“He says, ’If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me....  Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.’

“That is we cannot be his disciples without doing something to bring sinners to him that they may be saved; something that will cost us self-denial; it may be of our own ease, or of something we would like to do or have.

“And it must be done willingly, cheerfully, from love to the dear Master and the souls he died to save, and not as the way to earn heaven for ourselves.

“We can not merit salvation, do what we will; we must take it as God’s free, undeserved gift.”

There was a moment of thoughtful silence; then Max said, “Papa, I think I am willing if I knew just what to do and how to do it.  Can you tell me?”

“You have some money of your own every week; you can give what you will of that to held spread abroad the glad tidings of salvation; you can pray for others, and when a favorable opportunity offers, speak a word to lead them to Christ.  Ask God to show you opportunities and give you grace and wisdom to use them.  Try also, so to live, and act, and speak, that all who see and know you will, take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus and learned of him.”

“Papa,” said Lulu, “won’t you tell Max about the money you are going to give in our names?”

“No, I will let you have that pleasure,” the captain answered with a kindly look and tone, and she eagerly availed herself of the permission.

Max was greatly pleased, and Violet, who joined them just in time to hear what Lulu was saying, highly approved.

“But you will understand, children,” the captain said, “that this involves your gaining a great deal of information on the subject of missions, and other schemes of benevolence, and in order to help you in that, we will spend a short time each evening, when not prevented by company or some more important engagement, in reading and conversing on this topic.”

“I wish I could earn some money to give,” said Lulu.  “I’d like to carve pretty things to sell; but who would buy them?”

“Possibly papa might become an occasional purchaser,” her father said, stroking her hair and smiling kindly upon her.

“Or Mamma Vi,” added her young step-mother.

“And I have another offer to make you both,” said the captain; “for every day that I find you obedient, pleasant-tempered and industrious I will give each of you twenty-five cents for benevolent purposes.”

“Thank you, papa,” they both said, their eyes sparkling with pleasure; Max adding, “That will be a dollar and seventy-five cents a week.”

“Yes; and for every week that either one of you earns the quarter every day, I will add another to bring it up to two dollars.”

“O papa, how nice!” exclaimed Lulu.  “I mean to try very hard, so that I may have enough to support a little Indian girl.  And is Gracie to have the same?”

“Certainly; and I shall not be greatly surprised if Gracie’s missionary box fills faster than either of the others.”

“I am almost sure it will,” said Lulu, sobering down a good deal; “and Max’s will be next.  But I do mean to try ever so hard to be good.”

“I am quite sure you do, dear child,” her father responded in tender tones.  “I know my little girl wants to improve, and I shall do all I can to help her.”

“Papa, is that quarter a day for good conduct, to be in addition to our usual pocket money?” asked Max.

“Certainly, my son; your pocket money is your own, to use for your pleasure or profit, except what you feel that you ought, or desire to give of it; but the quarter is expressly, and only for benevolent purposes.”

“When may we begin to earn it, papa?”

“To-morrow.”

“I’m glad of that,” said Lulu with satisfaction, “because I want to earn a good deal before Christmas.”

Then she told of Evelyn’s suggestions in regard to gifts for the poor in their immediate neighborhood.

“A very good idea,” her father said, “and I think it may be carried out in a way to yield enjoyment to both givers and receivers.”

“I hope it will be cold enough at Christmas time to make ice and snow for sleighing and sledding,” Max remarked; “for we boys have planned to have a good deal of fun for ourselves and the girls too, if it is.”

“You mean if there is sleighing and sledding,” his father said with an amused look.  “It might be cold enough, yet the needed snow or ice be lacking.”

“Why, yes, sir, to be sure, so it might!” Max returned, laughing good humoredly.

“What kind of fun is it you boys have planned for us girls?” asked Lulu.

“Never you mind,” said Max; “you’ll see when the time comes; the surprise will be half of it you know.”

“My dear, you seem to me a very wise and kind father,” Violet remarked to her husband when they found themselves alone together, after Max and Lulu had gone to their beds.  “I very highly approve of the plans you have just proposed for them.  Though, of course the approval of a silly young thing, such as I, must be a matter of small consequence,” she added, with a merry, laughing look up into his face.

“Young, but not silly,” he returned, with a very lover-like look and smile.  “I consider my wife’s judgment worth a great deal, and am highly gratified with her approval.  I am extremely desirous,” he went on more gravely, “to train my darlings to systematic benevolence, a willingness to deny themselves for the cause of Christ, and to take an interest in every branch of the work of the church.”