French! And what, prithee, would a maid of thy years be needing
of that?"

"I might need it when I am older, sir."

Then she added, with the respect that was natural to her, and was always
expected of the young:

"I think I should much like studying other languages. Grammar pleaseth
me; I like right well knowing my own parts of speech."

Parson Kendall looked pleased.

"When could'st thou find time for another study?" he asked. "It is no
such simple thing to master a strange tongue."

"I could, sir," was all Maid Sally said in reply.

The parson smiled.

"Could'st which?" he asked. "Find the time or master the language?"

"I meant, sir, I could learn the language, but Mistress Brace might have
much to say if I asked for more time, and I must in some way work for
the one who teaches me anything new."

"Thou hast the right idea about some things," said the parson, kindly,
"but go home now, and fret not about knowing another tongue at present;
it is not needed so early in life. But that which is greatly desired
sometimes cometh to pass."

There was a twinkle in the good man's eye when he last spoke that Sally
liked to see.

"He is wise and kind," she said, as the parson passed on, "and I must
wait for learning French until comes the right time for it, but learn it
I must some day."

"Think no more about it, but do the best you can with the fine teaching
you have already," advised her Fairy.

And Sally tried to heed the advice.

It was but the next week on Wednesday afternoon, when Mistress Kent
returned from visiting her sister, that she said to Sally:

"I met our good parson but just now, and he would like seeing you at his
house on your way home. I hope he hath good tidings for you."

Sally trembled with hope as she went toward the parson's house, and it
may have been that he feared lest the little maid might find it hard to
use the great brass knocker on the front-door, for there he was in the
garden as Sally entered the gate.

"It hath all been arranged, dear maiden," he said, in so father-like a
tone that Sally felt tears starting to her eyes. "I deemed it best to
see Mistress Brace before saying more to thee about the French lessons,
but the use of one morning is to be given thee. Come on Thursday by
nine o'clock, and an hour and a half will I give thee.

"No payment will be required save that one or two simple rules must be
observed. No more than half an hour a day at present must be given t