d.

"Go and play," cried her Fairy.

"But my books," said Sally.

"You will grow dull, and do well neither with books, needle, or other
work without some time for play," cried the Fairy.

And so Sally put by her book, left her mending, and ran like a wild,
free thing into the woods, that had a fresh, sweet smell to them. The
air was cool and did the child good. She wandered farther and farther
on, thinking it was in truth a good thing to play at times.

"Sing!" cried her Fairy, "none will hear thee, sing'st thou ever so
loudly here."

Now naught has yet been said of Sally's voice. She scarcely knew she had
what would be called "a voice." Often she sang at her work, but Mistress
Brace would likely as not bid her be quiet and not make so great a
racket.

Mistress Cory Ann liked to talk a great deal herself, and so would hush
Sally's singing, which after a time made Sally think that singing was
only making a troublesome noise, so she did not much of it in the house.

"Sing!" said the Fairy.

Sally stood against a tree and sang without a thought or care as to how
her voice might sound. The notes rang out clear and strong, for she sang
as would a bird. And over and again she sang a few sweet verses she had
learned from hearing young Mistress Rosamond Earlscourt practising them
with her lute in the summer-house.

[Illustration: "SALLY STOOD AGAINST A TREE AND SANG WITHOUT A THOUGHT OR
CARE."]

As she stopped, full of the joy of hearing her own young voice, she
heard a little sound, and, turning around, oh! oh! there stood Master
Sutcliff, the precentor, or leader of the meeting-house choir, which was
made up of all such young men and maidens as could sing with melody in
their voices.

Master Sutcliff was also teacher of the singing-school, to which all
were welcome who could pay the regular fee, either in money, apples,
fruit, or hay.

"You have a heartsome voice," said the singing master, coming closer to
Sally, and speaking in his own rich bass. "A heartsome voice; how would
it please you to come to the singing-school and help lead some of the
more timorous ones?"

"I do not think my mistress would allow it," said Sally, with downcast
eyes.

"If she consents would'st come?" asked Master Sutcliff. "I will teach
you to sing correctly, and do something toward training the voice a kind
Providence hath given thee."

"Yes, I would come," said Sally, without lifting her eyes.

Off strode Master Sutcliff, bu