you think that you will be pleased with yourself, even if nobody but myself knows what you have done?"

"But I have already spent a part," replied Caroline," and I must pay Jemima, on Thursday, and I am sure if I take the money with me to Kendal, I shall not be able to resist laying it out."

"Is that all that hinders you?" asked Emma, eagerly; "if so, dear Caroline, my sixpence on Thursday next is yours, for a birth-day present, and then the half-crown will be complete, and you can give it to Mrs. Colton, and not be tempted to spend it at Kendal."

Caroline could resist no longer; she threw her arms round Emma's neck, exclaiming, "Dear, dear sister, how kind and good you are to me, denying yourself the pleasure of seeing those pretty things, all for my sake, and when I was selfish enough to spend my money; yet now do you offer me yours, and that in a way so kind, that I hate myself more and more for accepting it. No, Emma, I will not take a halfpenny of your allowance, unless you will allow me to tell Mrs. Colton, and Aunt Isabella, and William, how generous you have been."

Emma kissed her sister affectionately, as she answered, "Dear Caroline, if you love me, do not tell any one about it, for my heart is so sinful that I quite dread to be praised, lest it should make me conceited and elated with myself, as I was that Wednesday. O sister, you cannot guess how miserable I was, when I sat in the dark in our bed-room, and thought what a proud heart I had."

"Let me ask Mrs. Colton, and only Mrs. Colton, what I shall do," said Caroline, "for she will be sure to tell us what is right."

"Yes, we will ask Mrs. Colton," replied Emma, "for she knows me too well to praise me for what I do not deserve."

The sisters together then went in search. of their governess, whom they found seated in her bed-room, and Caroline told her joyfully of Emma's kindness and generosity, and asked if she did right to accept of it.

Mrs. Colton smiled affectionately upon them; and when Caroline ceased to speak, her governess said, "My dear, your papa has given you an allowance every week, to do what you like with it; now Emma chooses to give eighteenpence to you, Caro

line, it is therefore yours, and you may do what you like with it, for your sister has given it you. I need not advise you how to spend it, for the way is clear before you; and though, generally speaking, I would not advise you to tell any generous thing you may do to your friends, yet, in this instance, I think your Aunt Isabella should know it, for then she will no longer consider she has robbed poor Jane Thomas by taking that purse."

Emma and Caroline understood all their governess said to them, and they felt she was right; they therefore thanked her, and said they hoped they should be the better for her kind instructions. "But before you leave this room, my dear children," she continued, "I will point out to your notice a verse in the sacred volume, which should be your rule of conduct in such affairs as the present. Charity seeketh not her own;' and that charity does not deserve the name which seeks for a return of the little good which it may perform. Thus you may observe how perfect is the divine charity of our blessed Redeemer, who, so far from seeking his own gratification, though he was rich, for our sakes became poor, and was despised and

rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."

I must conclude my chapter with saying the first of July was a lovely and delightful day; and in the morning, before the happy party set off to Kendal, Miss Fortescue had heard of Caroline's half-crown, which was to be given that day to Jane Thomas.

CHAPTER VIII.

Charity is not easily provoked.

THE morning, as we have said, was fine, and when the clock struck ten, the carriage drove up to the door, and John himself stood ready to help the children into it.

"I want to sit opposite papa," cried Emma, "so I shall choose that place, and wait till he comes."

"No, no," cried Caroline, "that is the pleasantest seat of all, and I must have it, because it is my birth-day, and I am queen of the day."

Emma was going to reply, but Mr. Fortescue just at that moment came out of the house, and without having heard what had passed between his two elder girls, he said, "Emma, you must sit in the furthest corner from me, and then you can assist me in taking care of the little ones."