g anything saucy, aunt?" said
Miss Betsy; "I am sure you are not accustomed to hear me say saucy
things."

"Miss! Miss! be quiet!" said Mrs. Crosbie; for she was afraid Mr. and
Mrs. Fairchild would think her daughter ill-behaved.

"What, mamma!" answered Miss Betsy, "am I to sit quietly and hear my
aunt find fault with me before company--and for being impertinent, too,
to my elders--as if I were a mere child?"

"Well, well--enough!" said Mr. Crosbie. "What is that pie, Mrs.
Fairchild, in the middle of the table? I must have some, if you
please."

Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild were not sorry when dinner was over, and Mrs.
Crosbie proposed that Mrs. Fairchild should show her the garden.
Accordingly, the ladies and children got up, and left the gentlemen
together; for Mr. Crosbie never stirred for some time after dinner.
When Mrs. Crosbie had got into the garden, and had looked about her,
she said:

"Ah, Mrs. Fairchild, how happy you are! Such a pretty house and
garden!--such a kind husband!--such good children!" Then she sighed,
and gave Mrs. Fairchild to understand that she was not so happy
herself.

After tea, Mr. Crosbie and his family took their leave, and went off to
the next inn upon the London road, where they were to sleep; for Mr.
Crosbie was in haste to be at home, and would not stay, although Mr.
and Mrs. Fairchild begged that they would--at least till the next day.
When they were gone, Mr. Fairchild and Henry took a walk towards the
village with Mr. Somers, whilst the little girls remained at home with
their mother.

"Dear Lucy," said Mrs. Fairchild, as soon as she was alone with her
little girls, "do you remember what we were speaking about yesterday,
before Mr. Crosbie's letter came?"

"Yes, mamma," said Lucy; "we were speaking of besetting sins, and you
said that everybody has a besetting sin, and you told me what you
believed mine to be."

"True, my dear," answered Mrs. Fairchild: "I told you that, without
the help of the Holy Spirit of God, very few people know what their own
besetting sins are. You had an opportunity to-day of observing this:
every individual of our friend Mr. Crosbie's family has a very strong
besetting sin; Mr. Crosbie loves eating; Mrs. Crosbie is ill-tempered;
Miss Crosbie is vain, and fond of finery; and Miss Betsy is very pert
and forward. We can see these faults in them, and they can see them in
each other; but it is plain they do not see them in themselves. Mr.
Crosbie sai