her young heart was ready to burst with sorrow, when she saw, at that moment, coming down the walk towards them, little Alice and her brother Robert.

The child had now got accustomed to have her delicate limbs confined, but she was unable to run, and jump, and play about as she had done before; so she came walking slowly along with not even a doll for her companion, for her arms were too stiffly kept back for her to hold any thing in them, unless she quite needed it.

"My poor little Aly," said Caroline, stooping and kissing the fair cheek of her sister.

"O that dear Mrs. Colton were again with us!" exclaimed Emma; and the children with one accord again shed tears when they remembered their beloved teacher, and second mother. Emma, however, was the first to dry hers, as she recollected for what purpose she had led Caroline into the arbour, and she said to her, "Dear sister, I asked you to come here with me that I might tell you what were the last words of Mrs. Colton to me before we parted at Lancaster. She knew that Miss Burrage was coming to the Hall, and she guessed we might not like

her, and so she shewed me a verse in her Bible, and begged me to remember it for her sake, if I was ever made unhappy by my new governess; ' and tell your dear sisters also of this verse,' she said, and bid them remember it when in trouble.""

"And what was the verse she shewed you, Emma?" enquired Caroline.

"It was not the whole verse, sister," she answered, "it was only four words in it, and they are, 'Love endureth all things;' and she told me that, to shew my love to dear papa and Aunt Isabella, I must endure all things for their sake, and I must not be rude and obstinate to Miss Burrage."

"Aly love papa and Aunt Isabella too," said the little one, only half understanding what Emma had been saying.

"Then Aly must not cry when Miss Burrage makes her do unpleasant things," answered her elder sister," for when Aly cries, papa is so very, very sorry."

"Poor, poor papa!" exclaimed Alice, her soft eyes again filled with tears, "poor, poor papa!"

Master Robert joined in the lamentation of "poor, poor papa!

"But Mrs. Colton told me also," continued

Emma, addressing Caroline, "that if we love our blessed Saviour who died for us, that should be our greatest motive for enduring all things; for," she said, "our heavenly Father is not like an earthly father, for he could, if he chose, prevent us from ever feeling any pain or trouble, so that when he really does permit us to feel trouble it is for our good, and we ought to endure it, knowing he loves. us."

Emma then added, "Dear Caroline, you know that of ourselves we cannot endure all things patiently, but let us pray to be assisted by the Holy Spirit, so that we may not behave ill to Miss Burrage."

No one that these little ones minded ever came to their mamma's arbour, so that they knelt down fearlessly, and, in a few simple words, prayed to be made to bear, for the love of our Saviour, all those troubles which he thought necessary to send them.

Alice and Robert knelt in silence by them, and though they did not understand all that passed, yet, when they rose from their knees, their little hearts were easier; for it was the Blessed God who redeemed them, and said, "Suffer little children to come unto me," that put it into their hearts to pray, and it was

the same tender Father who sent them the relief in this their affliction.

"And now you shall go to Miss Burrage, Caroline," said Emma, " and say how sorry you are for behaving rudely about the purse." Caroline was quite softened, and ran into the house with a light heart to find Miss Burrage. She found that lady seated on the sofa in the school-room, by the window, engaged in reading.

When Caroline apologised for her conduct, she looked up coldly, and said, "Now, no scene if you please, Miss Caroline; I understand all you would say: and next time, if you feel ashamed of your conduct, behave better when occasion offers; but no apologies-I dislike apologies, and they never answer the purpose intended."

The holidays were now over, and it was expected William would return to school, but Mr. Fortescue found the society of his eldest son a real comfort to him; he therefore wrote to his schoolmaster to say he should keep him at home the next quarter, and that probably he might not return any more.

CHAPTER XV.

Charity never faileth.

WHILE the little ones were sitting at breakfast one morning, Miss Burrage presiding at the tea-table, a letter was placed in the hand of Emma by John, and the agitated child instantly discovered the handwriting of Mrs. Colton. "O, it is from my dear Mrs. Colton," she exclaimed, bursting into tears," and it is sealed with black. O, how unhappy she must be now she has lost her beloved uncle."

Emma was so sorry for her late governess, that she could not summon courage to break the seal of the letter, but she sat still looking at it, while her tears fell upon it.

"Miss Fortescue," said Miss Burrage, "such excess of emotion is extremely improper; command yourself I beg; or perhaps