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this by my own experience. It was a favourite saying of my dear husband's, God never did anything at a wrong moment, or in a wrong way,' meaning to imply, His most mysterious and painful dispensations were all wisdom; and, oh! if I had not felt a conviction of this, when called myself to submit and part with what was my all on this earth, I never could have borne his loss."

At this moment, Louisa Vivian came running back, exclaiming, "Dear mamma, here comes Emmeline, Allyne, and Uncle Hugh."

"I see, my love," said her mother, as a turn in the road brought immediately in view her brotherin-law, his son, and daughter, riding toward them.

"We shall not now go to Everton, mamma?" inquired Louisa; but, before Mrs. Vivian could reply, Sir Hugh and his daughter had reached them.

"How do you do, dear aunt Louisa?" began her niece, Emmeline; "I hope you were not thinking of paying us a visit?"

"Indeed I was," said Mrs. Vivian, as she returned her niece's shake of the hand, "not having seen you for some days; besides, I had a request to make of you," and she turned to Sir Hugh as she spoke. "I want you to give your recently-become vacant almshouse to my poor Widow Graham; she has for thirty years, you know, maintained herself most respectably, as washerwoman at Everton, but is now grown so infirm as to be quite incapable for work, her eyesight being almost gone. It would be a very

great charity to enable her to end her days in a little peace and comfort. You are so kind, Hugh, I feel you will not refuse me."

“The late inhabitant died a week ago, and many an applicant have I had," returned Sir Hugh; "but as I have as yet given my promise to none, I can have no objection to your protegé becoming its new occupant; so, by all means, let Widow Graham take possession."

Miss Sinclair had walked on with her pupils, Anne, Marion, and little Edith, whilst Mrs. Vivian stood talking with Sir Hugh.

"Is that the Miss Fitzwilliams' Governess? " inquired Emmeline of Louisa, as she stroked down her pretty horse's coat.

"Yes," said Louisa, "and she is such a nice person, they are so fond of her!"

"And that pretty little girl with them," said Allyne, as he drew near his cousin and sister, "who is she?"

"Little Edith Trevor-she lives at Paington Abbey now, since she lost her mamma-Lady Grey -who, you know, was here last year. Lord Grey is Lady Fitzwilliam's brother."

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"O yes! I remember," returned Emmeline, "how very like she is to her mamma. One of the Fitzwilliams is pretty, too, I think," continued she, "but they always look so shy and reserved, I never can make out how they are such great friends of

yours. Lady Fitzwilliam, too, is such a disagreeable person, Aunt Vansittart cannot bear her."

"But just think, dear Emmy, what severe affliction she is in just now; poor Edward! of whom she was so fond! As for Anne and Marion, you do not know them, or you would never think them stiff; they are, on the contrary, most kind and good-natured."

"Well, at least, Louisa, you know how to defend your friends," said Allyne, who with his sister could not help laughing at his cousin's eloquence.

Sir Hugh here interrupted; and Mrs. Vivian, after making her niece promise to come over to Summerfield in a day or so, proceeded to join Miss Sinclair.

"I suppose papa has told you Aunt Hetherington has been intending every day, since her arrival, to call on you, dear Aunt Louisa? but the weather has been so hot, she has delayed it; however, I will bring Ethell and Adelaide to see you. We are not so afraid of heat," said Emmeline, as with a gentle touch of the whip, she put her well trained horse into an easy canter.

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CHAPTER VII.

"The burdened future leave calmly to Him,
Who counts and knows our wants;

Who feeds the ravens, and the fowls of air,

And clothes the lilies-which, nor toil, nor spin-
With peerless beauty."

"Is Miss Vivian much older than you, Louisa?"
inquired Anne, as soon as her friend joined them.
"My cousin Emmy is sixteen, there is not quite
three years' difference between us."

"And her brother," said Marion, "he is younger of course?"

"Allyne is my own age; I was thirteen last May, and his birth-day was last month,” replied Louisa. "How different they are."

"Not at all alike," observed Marion.

"That is true; Allyne is remarkably handsome, and Emmeline cannot be termed pretty, but she is very amiable-you cannot think how amiable she is!" said Louisa.

"I think you are called, do you know," said Anne. "I fancied I heard our names, and we have walked so fast we are almost out of your Mamma's sight, and Miss Sinclair's."

It was true, Miss Sinclair had, as Anne thought, called to them; it being now decided by Mrs.

Vivian, that, having reached a lane which would immediately take them to Repton, and the object of their visit to Everton having been gained by meeting Sir Hugh, they had better at once proceed to Widow Graham's cottage. A few fields divided from each other by stiles, and one or two moderately long lanes, the hedges on each side of which were perfectly laden with wild flowers, to the delight of little Edith, who stopped here and there, with exclamations of delight, to gather a nosegay for nurse, brought them at length to the widow's lowly thatched cottage.

"How are you to-day, Mrs. Graham ?" asked Mrs. Vivian, as she and her little party entered the modest habitation.

The poor old woman was seated in her old arm chair, by the fire-place, her eyesight so dim, as to be scarcely able to distinguish the person addressing her; while her young grandson, a lad of about twelve years of age, was seated at her feet, reading from a large Bible he held on his lap.

"Very glad to see you, ma'am, Mrs. Vivian and Miss Louisa; get up Johnny, get up; give a chair to the ladies; ah, maʼam, you have brought me other ladies-who are they Johnny?" half whispered the poor old creature to her grand-child, “getting very bad here, ma'am," said she, pointing to her sight, "hardly can see anything."

"The Ladies from the Abbey, grandmother," returned the boy.

"Be seated, pray be seated, ladies," and his

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