ws; but none of the three kept up any
continued conversation; and in the intervals Ruth sang low a brooding
song, such as she remembered her mother singing long ago. Now and
then she stopped to look at Leonard, who was labouring away with
vehement energy at digging over a small plot of ground, where he
meant to prick out some celery plants that had been given to him.
Ruth's heart warmed at the earnest, spirited way in which he thrust
his large spade deep down into the brown soil, his ruddy face
glowing, his curly hair wet with the exertion; and yet she sighed
to think that the days were over when her deeds of skill could give
him pleasure. Now, his delight was in acting himself; last year, not
fourteen months ago, he had watched her making a daisy-chain for him,
as if he could not admire her cleverness enough; this year--this
week, when she had been devoting every spare hour to the simple
tailoring which she performed for her boy (she had always made every
article he wore, and felt almost jealous of the employment), he had
come to her with a wistful look, and asked when he might begin to
have clothes made by a man?

Ever since the Wednesday when she had accompanied Mary and Elizabeth,
at Mrs Bradshaw's desire, to be measured for spring clothes by the
new Eccleston dressmaker, she had been looking forward to this
Saturday afternoon's pleasure of making summer trousers for Leonard;
but the satisfaction of the employment was a little taken away by
Leonard's speech. It was a sign, however, that her life was very
quiet and peaceful, that she had leisure to think upon the thing at
all; and often she forgot it entirely in her low, chanting song, or
in listening to the thrush warbling out his afternoon ditty to his
patient mate in the holly-bush below.

The distant rumble of carts through the busy streets (it was
market-day) not only formed a low rolling bass to the nearer and
pleasanter sounds, but enhanced the sense of peace by the suggestion
of the contrast afforded to the repose of the garden by the bustle
not far off.

But besides physical din and bustle, there is mental strife and
turmoil.

That afternoon, as Jemima was restlessly wandering about the house,
her mother desired her to go on an errand to Mrs Pearson's, the new
dressmaker, in order to give some directions about her sisters' new
frocks. Jemima went, rather than have the trouble of resisting;
or else she would have preferred staying at home, moving or bei