improve.

"There, you have spelled a word wrong, and I see you have one or two
capitals where there should be a small letter; and that last sentence is
not perfectly grammatical," he said. "You must let me correct it when you
are done, and then you must copy it off more carefully."

Elsie looked very much mortified.

"Never mind, daughter," he said kindly, patting her cheek; "you do very
well for a _little_ girl; I dare say I made a great many more mistakes at
your age, and I don't expect you to do better than I did."

"Oh, papa, the letters I sent you when you were away must have been full
of blunders, I am afraid," she said, blushing deeply; "were you not very
much ashamed of me? How could you bear to read them?"

"Ashamed of you, darling? No, indeed, neither of you nor them. I loved
them all the better for the mistakes, because they showed how entirely
your own they were; and I could not but be pleased with them when every
line breathed such love to me. My little daughter's confidence and
affection are worth more to me than the finest gold, or the most
priceless jewels."

He bent down and kissed her fondly as he spoke; then, returning to his
seat, bade her finish her letter and bring it to him when done.

He took up his pen, and Elsie collected her thoughts once more, worked
busily and silently for another half hour, and then brought her sheet to
him for inspection; presenting it with a timid, bashful air, "I am afraid