made good use of her opportunity by tempting me into long and unreserved conversation; telling me of all her little projects for the comfort of her father and the benefit of his household and parish; and asking my advice on a good many really knotty points. In return, I drew out from her much about her home, her mother's illness, and her father's trials and fatigues, manfully borne, that greatly interested me. Now and then a quiet tear stole down the good girl's cheek; I pressed her hand, and she once kissed mine.

Dear Mary! I believe we were both sorry when our colloquy ceased; indeed, she said as much, and I felt it. But they were renewed from time to time, though not often. Her father could not spare her to us beyond Christmas.

CHAPTER X.

Serene will be our days, and bright,

And happy will our nature be,
When love is an unerring light,
And joy its own security!
And they a blissful course may hold
E'en now, who, not unwisely bold,
Live in the spirit of this creed,

Yet seek thy firm support, according to their need.

Ode to Duty.

HUS, though we made no distinctions, we

THU

Huch that our favourite. Mary Barnet

was mine and Jacintha's; Fanny Ward was Marian's. I liked Rose Callender, indeed, almost as much as Mary, but she was not so isolated, nor her position so interesting. She had a mother, father, and sister, in full health and prosperity. I never saw her shed, nor need to shed a tear: indeed, her affections, never

much called forth, lay dormant; she was loving and kind, but not susceptible. Intellect, genius, were what she most admired in others and most desired for herself, and she was endowed with both, and with their indispensable handmaiden, industry. A more laborious, painstaking girl could not be found; she aimed at excellence for its own pure sake, while Mary Barnet sympathised, and Henrietta looked on in wonder.

The home-influences of these sisters were not favourable. Mrs. Callender, a bosom friend of Mrs. Forsyth's, was a thoroughly frivolous woman; and like many frivolous women, had a strong will and imperious temper. Having won her own husband by her beauty, and considering marriage the grand desideratum, her girls heard a great deal too much about beauty and fortune, and the comparative values of various accomplishments in the match-making market.

"You must leave off poking, Rose, or you'll never get married!" and similar threats were frequently uttered: and the wonder was that the girls were so little hurt by them.

"Rose has talents, and Rose's talents must be brought forward," said Mrs. Callender to me peremptorily, "for her father values them— and so do many men; and they enhance the value of beauty though they can't supply it. Rose is not plain, thank goodness! she has her father's eye, and her father's brow; but she will never have Henrietta's grace and elegance."

Jacintha's singing-(it is surprising how its fame had spread! in a great measure, doubtless, owing to Mrs. Forsyth's little parties)— had been Mrs. Callender's grand attraction to us; other, and, as she would class them, inferior attainments, she cared very little about. "She could quite rely on us-she was sure she

might place confidence in any friends of Mrs. Forsyth's, only don't let Rose get into any poking ways, nor let Henrietta fatigue herself with too hard lessons."

To Mrs. Callender's recommendation (before she had had any experience of our deserts) we owed Margaret Forest, who was also a West Indian, a motherless girl, alternately spoilt and neglected by her father, who was very glad to get her off his hands. Thus, Jacintha's application to Mrs. Forsyth had ultimately brought us three pupils; two of them very nice ones.

Week after week found us constantly, usefully, and cheerfully employed; and continual exclamations were made at the days growing short sooner than usual. The only real pain we received was from one or two communications from John, relating to my father, which were of a distressing nature. But there was nothing we could do, except pray for him; and