"
"It does indeed!" he responded.
"Papa," she sighed, "I'm always dreadfully sorry and ashamed after one
of my times of being disobedient, wilful, and ill-tempered, and I am
really thankful to you for taking so much pains and trouble to make a
better girl of me."
"I don't doubt it, daughter," he answered; "it is a long while now since
I have had any occasion to punish you, and your conduct has rarely
called for even so much as a reproof."
She gave him a glad, grateful look, an embrace of ardent affection,
then, laying her cheek to his, "You dear, dear papa, you have made me
feel very happy," she said, "and I'm sure I am much happier than I
should be if you had let me go on indulging my bad temper and
wilfulness. Oh, it's so nice to be able to run to my dear father
whenever I want to, and always to be so kindly received that I can't
feel any doubt that he loves me dearly. Ah, how I pity poor Maxie that
he can't see you for weeks or months!"
"And don't you pity papa a little that he can't see Maxie?" he asked,
with a smile and a sigh.
"Oh, yes! yes indeed! I'm so sorry for you, papa, and I mean to do all I
can to supply his place.
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