and pitied them both, but for very
different reasons. He pitied the old lady because she was throwing away
her own happiness and crippling her own usefulness. He pitied her
because she was not what she might so easily have been; because she was
storing up vinegar where she might have gathered honey; and was one of
those of whom Dr South says that "they tell the truth, but tell it with
the tongue of a viper." He pitied Mary Stansfield, but with a pity
mingled with profound respect and admiration. He pitied her that she
should have to bear those daily raspings of the spirit which her aunt,
half unconsciously, perpetually inflicted on her. And yet he could not
altogether regret the discipline, when he marked how the trial was daily
burnishing the fine gold of her character. Still, he pitied both, and
was a frequent visitor at Morewood Court, partly because he marked how
few were the friends who cared to stay at the house, and, more still,
because he hoped to be of use in lightening the burden of both aunt and
niece.

Colonel Dawson was one of those who love "working in the shade." Not
that he was ashamed or afraid of working in the light, but he was
content to pursue the less attractive and less ornamental paths of
usefulness, which few comparatively cared to follow. And so he had set
himself resolutely and prayerfully to the task of rearranging the
character of one who, he was persuaded, was capable and desirous of
doing good and great things, could she only be got to hold herself at
arm's-length from herself for a little while, and see herself in the
glass of God's Word, and as others saw her. He felt sure that there was
good, practical sense enough in her mind, and grace enough in her heart,
to make her yield to conviction when he should draw her on to see and
acknowledge a better way; and then he knew that, when she should have
been drawn out of the old self into a better self, she would duly
appreciate and love her long-suffering niece. But he was well aware
that the old self would not surrender its throne without a severe
struggle, and he was therefore not surprised to find the old lady's
bitterness rather increase than diminish as through their conversations
she was learning to become more and more dissatisfied with herself.

Her poor niece had to bear in consequence the burden of an increased
irritability in her aunt's addresses to her. But she was greatly
cheered when the colonel took an opportunity of