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grandmother, began feeling for her stick or crutch to rise and find seats for her visitors, but they anticipated her, by assuring her they had found themselves chairs without Johnny's aid.

"I have not seen you ladies to thank you for the nice gown and jacket you pleased to make me," began widow Graham; "but I do thank you now, and He who sends me every blessing, and so much more than I deserve. Johnny was just a reading me out of your beautiful Bible, ma'am-Mrs. Vivian, you gived me, and that I've read many and many a time before my eyes got so bad, and it was a nice Word!" "What was it Mrs. Graham?" inquired Mrs. Vivian.

"Ah! one of King David's Psalms, ma'am, about they that seek the Lord never wanting any good thing; oh, it is a nice promise that, and I am sure it is true in my case, ma'am, for I wanted a gown very much, and God sent it me. I thank you very much, ladies."

Anne and Marion both expressed the pleasure they had had in making it; and, with Miss Sinclair, made her understand that they would now often visit her, and help Mrs. Vivian in providing for her wants.

"Well," resumed Mrs. Vivian, "but I have some very good news for you-better than, perhaps, you could have expected. You remember how much you wished, the last time I saw you, to get into one of Sir Hugh's almshouses?"

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"Ah! to be sure, ma'am, and I did so, indeed; but the one Peggy Morant had-she that's just dead -is, I hear, promised to Nancy Harris. Miss Vivian's given it to her, I am told; she's little James Harris's mother-Miss Vivian's page. I sent my Johnny to Everton to speak to Miss Vivian, but he only saw Mrs. Grantley, the ladies' maid, and she told him 'twas no use asking, as her young lady had got her papa to give it to Nancy Harris. In her ladyship's time, when Miss Vivian was quite a little girl, many's the time I have spoken to my lady, and when my husband died-now thirteen years last April, and this is July-her ladyship was, ah! like you, ma'am. Oh! Lady Vivian was a nice, kind lady; but Miss Vivian's not over-condescending. Many's and many's the time her mamma's come to see me in my poor cottage, and many's the kindness she's done me."

"Well, I am very glad," replied Mrs. Vivian, "to be able to tell you that Mrs. Grantley was quite wrong in saying that Sir Hugh had given the vacant almshouse to Nancy Harris. We have just met Sir Hugh, and he, on the contrary, gives it to you; so we were all anxiety to come immediately to you, and give you this good news."

"Ah! ma'am-Mrs. Vivian, this is good news. God bless you! Just like you, ma'am. Oh! this bees good news! Johnny and I owes it all to you, ma'am. My rent was coming due, and I was a thinking, yes, and I was telling my boy, there—

wasn't I, Johnny ?-how as I never could go on paying this rent; for you sees, ma'am, when I could, I worked honestly and earned a bit; but since the Lord has pleased to make me such a poor helpless thing I lives on the parish money, and it's but little. But, ah! the Word was true; and that Word I've always found true. I was beginning to look down, and feel down. It wasn't right; for poor Nancy Harris has a hard world, too, to get on in; but I was beginning to be a bit sorry it hadn't been my luck; for I said, ' She has her sight, and her boy earns a trifle, too, for her.' But 'twasn't right, and I know'd it; and I got God's book, and Johnny read me the Word I told you, ma'am, and see how the Lord has not forgot me. I thank Him first, and you, ma'am."

"Well, I am very pleased for you, Mrs. Graham, for I do believe that you seek the Lord; and none, you see, as you have been reading yourself, ever have reason to repent their putting their trust in Him. It is well to look round sometimes at our neighbours, when we think ourselves very badly off; and, in comparing our lot with others, we shall see that God has left us many blessings with our trials. See, there is your neighbour, a Christian neighbour, too, at Nutleigh, Margaret Lindsay; her daughter, Mabel, is a cause of much trial to her. We will now take our leave of you, for it is getting late. I shall bring you my niece, Miss Vivian, to see you, and will see that she is by no means proud. you

I

hope, my dear Miss Sinclair," said Mrs. Vivian, as "that I have not kept

she rose to leave the cottage,

you too long."

"Not at all, not at all, my dear madam," returned Miss Sinclair, "the visit has been a great pleasure to us."

Anne and Marion re-echoed their governess's words.

"Does Johnny go to school?" inquired Mrs. Vivian, as she was about to depart.

"Oh, yes, ma'am! though he is not able to be over punctual; for he has got a bit of work with farmer Lees, attending his cows, and that takes him some of his time in the day; but he gets Sundays to Mr. Graham's school, and that's what I cares for more than all, ma'am."

"I am glad of it; and that he is able to get you something, be it ever so small," said Mrs. Vivian, putting her hand on the latch of the door. "Good bye, Mrs. Graham; we shall soon pay you another visit."

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May I give that little boy something?" whispered little Edith to Miss Sinclair, by whose side she had been standing, attentively listening to all that passed during the visit to Graham's cottage.

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Yes, certainly, if you have anything with you, my dear little girl," answered her governess.

Edith immediately drew from her pocket a tiny purse, and from it a shilling, which she gave Johnny.

Anne and her sister contributed also a trifle, and the little party left.

On their reaching Summerfield they parted, each and every one much delighted with their afternoon's visit. Though it had detained them longer than they had anticipated, it furnished them with much interest, circumstances having prevented their visiting Widow Graham before.

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