tly he saw me, and I noticed that he was a
cripple and had a crutch by his side.

'Are you Jim?' I asked.

'Yes, mum!'

'Don't you know that Roddy ought to be at school? It isn't right of
you to encourage him to play truant.'

Jim laughed. 'He's such a little 'un, he is.'

And then we drifted into talk. Jim told me he lived with his uncle,
who was a cobbler, but he himself had no occupation except that of
gathering wild flowers, and taking them into the market town near,
twice a week. I found to my surprise that he could not read.

'I was on my back for years when I might 'a had my schoolin', and when
I was able to get about with my crutch I was that 'shamed to go, being
such a big 'un, and such a dunce. Uncle Sam, he has a tried to teach
me, but he has a awful temper, and says I'm that slow I aggrewate him
into fits.'

'How I wish I could teach you!' I exclaimed; 'wouldn't you like to
learn?'

'Ay, shouldn't I! but I'm an awful dullard.'

We talked a little longer. I took a great fancy to this thin lanky
lad, with his great dark questioning eyes--he seemed lonely--and his
affection for little Roddy was very touching. That afternoon the old
rector happened to call while we were at tea, and I took the
opportunity of asking him about the boy; he seemed quite pleased at my
interest in him, and then of his own accord he broached the subject of
Sunday School.

'I should like to get one of you young ladies to have a class of the
little ones on Sunday. I am an old man myself, and don't feel up to
it. I sometimes wish I had a wife or daughter to help me about these
things. Mrs. Forsyth, what do you think about it?'

'I have no doubt Miss Thorn would be delighted to do what you wish.
She has already expressed a desire, I believe, to do something of the
sort.'

Mrs. Forsyth's tone was a little stiff, but I was so glad that she made
no objection to the suggestion that I felt quite grateful to her. And
before the rector left us he had settled that I should start a class
the following Sunday afternoon from three to four in the vestry of the
little church.

'I will go round to my parishioners and let them know. Of course you
will be prepared for very little ones, as the bigger ones attend a
school a little distance off. And as for Jim Carter, if you can give
him a reading lesson now and then in the week, I shall be delighted.'

When the rector had gone, I ran up to my room, and just knelt down and
tha