ran home to ask after the
family, "or I would be well bothered with all her pretty talk o'
books, and taching me to read and write; but she, poor darlin', shall
say whatever she plazes to me."

"An' if she spake ill o' the praste and the holy Church, how then,
Annorah?" asked Mrs. Dillon, eying her daughter rather curiously.

"Blessed little good can _we_ say o' Father M'Clane, whin we spake
truth, as ye know, mother dear; and it's not to be expected o' her to
tell lies for his sake."

"Does she spake o' the Catholic Church Norah?" asked her mother.

"Never at all, mother; so make yer heart aisy. She spakes to me o'
meself, and the wickedness in me heart; and when she leans so lovingly
on me shoulder, and raises her clear eyes to the blue sky, or watches
the bright sunset, and spakes so softly to me o' the beauty o' a holy
life, I feel all the betther and patienter meself for hearing the good
words. She says, mother dear, as how it is depravity that makes me so
often angered and wrong; and how that Jesus Christ, the Son o' God
himself, died to save us and cure us o' our sin. It would do yer own
heart good, could ye hear her; and there's nought wrong in it at all,
ye see."

Annie's influence grew stronger and stronger, and not a day passed
without some precious truth from her lips finding a place in the heart
of her attendant. It was many weeks before Annorah yielded to her
persuasions, and commenced learning to read. The pleasant summer days
had come, and they were often abroad in the fresh air together, Annie
in her low carriage, which was easily drawn by her young nurse.

Down in the valley behind Mr. Lee's house there was an old mill, long
since deserted and unused.

This was a favourite resort of Annie's, and it was here that she
taught Annorah to read, during the long summer afternoons.

At first Annorah was listless, indifferent, and often suspicious that
all this attention to her education boded no good to her old religious
prejudices. But she could deny Annie nothing; and after a time, as her
confidence in the piety of her gentle teacher increased, she began to
feel a deep interest in the truths taught.

In her anxiety to please her invalid charge, she made rapid progress
in reading, and before the end of the summer could write a few plain
sentences. She began to love knowledge for its own sake; and many a
pleasant hour did she spend, when Annie was asleep or weary, in
reading the easy lessons select