Ah, if
they but knew how I love them! and how it grieves and troubles me when
they go astray!"
Max's face brightened at those closing sentences, Lulu's softened for a
moment, but then, as Violet folded the letter, "I don't want to!" she
burst out. "Why does papa say we must do such things?"
"He tells you, dear; did you not notice?" said Violet. "He says he wishes
to know your faults in order to help you to correct them. And don't you
think it will help you to avoid wrongdoing? to resist temptation? the
remembrance that it must be confessed to your dear father and will grieve
him very much? Is it not kind in him to be willing to bear that pain for
the sake of doing you good?"
Lulu did not answer, but Max said, "Yes, indeed, Mamma Vi! and oh, I hope
I'll never have to make his heart ache over my wrongdoings! But I don't
know how to keep a diary."
"Nor I either," added Lulu.
"But you can learn, dears," Violet said. "I will help you at the start.
You can each give a very good report of to-day's conduct, I am sure.
"The keeping of a diary will be very improving to you in a literary way,
teaching you to express your thoughts readily in writing, and that, I
presume, is one thing your father has in view.
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