chickens, and some skim milk to the pigs, and thought how amusing such duties would be.

"Ain't scraps good for chickens, Millicent, to make them lay?"

"Yes, very: I always give them one meal a-day of bits of fat and vegetables, and any scrapings from the plates; but in the middle of the day, because if they don't pick it all up at the time they won't afterwards, and then if it stays all night it makes the place smell. Poor father built up this chicken-house before he had his paralytic stroke; he used to do so many handy jobs when he was able."

"The brown hen doesn't look very well, Milli

cent."

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No, she is not; but she I gave her a pill yesterday.

is better than she was.

some rue, and butter,

and soot, rolled up in a pill, and she eats much better to-day. But I must get ready now and start you on your way."

It was almost dark before Millicent got back into the village; but Philip came to meet her, and they walked home together, talking happily of their future plans, and agreed that they should be quite ready to open school in a month from that time; for they would be "asked " the very next Sunday-it only wanted three days to that Sunday:-but how many things may happen in three days?

Mrs. Ponsonby, delighted at the progress she had made towards starting her school, could think of little else; and her husband, pleased to see the pallor and languor of face and form giving way to a rosy hue on each cheek, and a brightness of voice as new as it was delightful, helped her most willingly: for as the chief seat of her complaint was on her nerves, an amusement which stopped short of fatigue was the very thing for her, and that, at the same time, it would be benefiting his parish, added another powerful interest to the scheme. They had together arranged the prospectus, and sent it to the printer; and Mr. Ponsonby had been to several cottages endeavouring to explain the use of the school, and to induce the mothers to send their elder girls.

"You take them," he said, " from school at an age when they are most open to evil influences. It has been proved that the time of life at which most crime is perpetrated is between fifteen and twenty years of age. You take them home to drag about a child too heavy for them; the fatigue of which irritates their tempers, until they slap the poor little unoffending creature, and so make that fretful and ill-tempered too; or you allow them to take places in farm-houses, or with petty tradespeople, where they learn nothing but to dress themselves in imitation of their betters, with the trifling sum they earn. They go as helps in

these places, doing a little of everything and nothing well; and as soon as they can leave it, offer themselves as servants in gentlemen's families, knowing nothing whatever of the duties they undertake. Now, in this school, we purpose to teach them every branch of household work, so as to make them good servants and capable of being good wives and mothers. We will take them from twelve to any age you like to send them; and I feel persuaded if you will only persevere in sending them, you will be truly grateful that such a school has been started in your village."

Thus, from cottage to cottage did he go, and after much trouble secured the promise of six girls; but it was a beginning, and that was everything.

Millicent came and told them that she thought on the 1st October she could begin, and all appeared progressing satisfactorily.

CHAPTER IV.

"But now God hath thus ordered it, that we learn to bear one another's burdens, for no man is without faults: no man but hath his burden, no man is sufficient of himself, no man wise enough of himself; but we ought to bear with one another, comfort one another, help, instruct, and admonish one another."-THOMAS A KEMPIS.

ON Saturday morning Millicent was downstairs very early, for it was cleaning day, and she liked to have the discomfort of the cleansing performance out of the way before the old people came down to breakfast. She opened the shutters and the house-door at once, and went out in the garden to see if any of her neighbours were up, for she had seen from her bedroom window the night before what appeared to be like a large fire at some distance off, and she was anxious to know if it was so. She could not see any one about, but, waiting for a second at the gate, she saw some little way up the street a child running quickly, whom she recognised as a neighbour of the Aldhams. She was about to beckon to her when she perceived

the child was making signs to her, and when she approached near enough to be heard she said,

"I'm come for you, Millicent, please; Anne Aldham wants you directly."

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Why? is anything the matter?"

"Yes; Robert Mason was killed at the fire last night!"

"What do you mean, child? what do you say? What fire?" said Millicent, almost stunned by the sudden and awful news.

"Don't you know his master's farm took fire, where he works, and he and a good many men went to help, but a rafter fell on him and killed him? Mary is just bad."

"Poor Mary! poor dear girl! go back directly, Jane, and say I will be with them in a few moments. I must light the fire, and get father and mother's breakfast, and then come directly.-The cleaning must go to-day," she said to herself; and entering the cottage she threw herself into a chair, and large heavy drops falling on her clasped hands showed how deep was her sympathy with the poor bereaved girl. Then, summoning all her courage to her aid, she hurriedly put the things in order for her parents, and telling them the sad news, and asking them to get on without her, she started on her errand of