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like Miss White, never to be in a flutter. The secret of this was, that they were industrious from principle, not mere eye-servants, who only work for fear they might be "caught" idling.

The object of the lady's present visit was to engage one of the school-girls as an under-housemaid. This was a place which most of them would have been glad to accept; for, becoming a servant at Homehurst, or the "Great House," as the village people called it, was looked upon as a sure step to rising in the world. While Mrs. Leslie spoke in a low voice to the teacher, her eye often rested on Mary Price, a pale, timid-looking girl, whom she knew to be an orphan, that lived with an aunt who had a large family of her own, and was very concerned to get this niece into service. Many inquiries were made and answered. Mary herself was consulted, and it was soon arranged that the young orphan was to go that day week to her first place. In the meantime, her clothes were to be got ready, and Mrs. Leslie kindly left a small sum of money with the teacher for this purpose.

This week was a busy one in the village school. All the girls good-naturedly offered to assist in making Mary's clothes, which their teacher bought and cut out; and, as many hands make light work, everything was finished in due time. The last evening came, with its painful good-byes, and when the other girls were going home, Miss White asked Mary Price to take tea with her, that they might have a little talk together. "Mary, dear," she said when they were seated at her humble tea-table,

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to-morrow will begin a new turn in your life. I want you to begin well. Your duties will be new, so will your temptations. Remember to go for help in every duty, and deliverance in every danger, to Him who is almighty in power and grace. It will often require courage to do what is right, and, instead of following the opinions and ways of others, to hold fast to the only unerring rule of right, God's own word. Take the blessed Saviour as your pattern. Ask him to be your own Saviour. Think how he would act in your place. Then, - have courage to look at your besetting sins and strive to overcome them. Try to serve God in little things, and avoid little faults. And never forget, dear Mary, that a glorious reward awaits all those who, having believed in Christ, try to do their common work so as to please him. The battle may be long, but the victory is sure. Mary said little in reply, but her teacher's words sank into her memory at least, and, though often disobeyed in after years, were never wholly forgotten. And pure and high they pealed forth in the evening of her life.

Next morning, the delicate wild flowers still bent under a load of dew when Mary set off for her new situation. The walk to Homehurst was not very long, nor the box which contained her small stock of clothes very heavy, yet she trembled all over when she reached the hall-door, and could scarcely summon courage to knock. But she felt more frightened than ever when the door was opened by a tall footman, who asked her if she was the new

girl, and told her she had better wait in the servants' hall for an hour or two, until the mistress was ready to see her. It seemed so dreadful to sit there and be stared at by every one who passed through, that it was quite a relief when she was called into Mrs. Leslie's presence. She received a welcome, and orders to go, as soon as she had breakfasted, with Blake the housemaid and obey her instructions.

Everything seemed so large and splendid to Mary's wondering eyes, that she became quite bewildered, and was often roused from a sort of dream, by being called in no gentle tone an ignorant, stupid girl. However, after some weeks, things which had appeared difficult became easy, and as Blake found her teachable and obedient, she trusted her more and more. But there was one room into which Mary was not allowed to go, and she only took a respectful peep through the half open door. This was the drawing-room, which it was Blake's special business to keep in order. One morning, however, being busy elsewhere, she desired Mary to go dust the furniture there, and take particular care not to break any of the costly ornaments. Poor Mary, in her anxiety to avoid doing mischief, felt more than usually awkward, and just as she was finishing her work, she knocked her hand against a glass shade that covered a vase of wax flowers, and, without breaking it entirely, to give it a most disfiguring crack. Her first thought was to confess what she had done, her second to conceal it, which she hoped to be able to do by turning the cracked side to the wall.

But, before she had more time to consider whether she would obey the voice of conscience or of temptation, Blake came into the room, and seeing what had happened, got into a great rage and gave Mary a severe scolding. 66 'Tis as much as

my place is worth, you very foolish girl, to have sent you into this room at all, for mistress insists on my taking entire charge of it. And now you must on no account pretend you broke this shade; if you are asked any questions, say you saw Master Harry hit it with his ball as you were passing upstairs. He often plays near it when he is alone, and no one will find out the fib. Remember, if you dare tell I sent you to do my work here, I'll have you turned out of the house." Mary expressed the deepest sorrow for what she had done, and ventured to suggest that it might be better to tell Mrs. Leslie the whole truth. But Blake's only answer was, "Do it if you dare."

What miserable nights and days followed this first lesson in the school of lying. For some time the broken shade remained unnoticed, and when at length the discovery was made, the artful lie, which Mary now repeated in every direction, seemed to be believed. The glass was replaced by a new one, and Blake said all was right. Still, Mary felt all was wrong. She had told a lie. She had falsely accused an innocent child, and deceived a kind mistress. But one of the sad results of unconfessed sin is a hardening of heart. So it was in Mary's The sin of lying began to seem less and less, and whenever her interest appeared to require it,

case.

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