ve her pain instead of the
pleasure I intended." These and many other questions passed through her
mind as she sat waiting for Martha. Presently she appeared with the
parcel.

"Open it, Ruth, it is yours," said Agnes, determined now to face it at
once. "I bought it and mine at the same time, but I kept it purposely
until to-day."

Ruth was so touched by this thoughtfulness on her sister's part, that
she was a long time in untying the cord. She did not want to look up
just then, for her eyes were full of tears.

"Let me," said Agnes, and she drew it away from Ruth. "It is almost the
same shade as mine," she said, holding it up to Miss Smithers.

"Well, now, so it is," replied that lady, laying down her work and
taking the new dress pattern. "They are as nearly alike as two peas. If
people did not know you so well, they would take you for twins."

"O, Agnes, it is ever so much finer," exclaimed Ruth. "What did you do
that for?" She spoke as if it pained her, and Agnes laughingly replied:
"Because, big sisters should always have the best things. Now don't look
so doleful, Ruth, one would think you were going to be beheaded. I
declare, Miss Smithers and I would be bowing and smiling like Frenchmen
or Frenchwomen, rather if we were having a dress presented to us."

Ruth laughed and bowed, and then Miss Smithers made one of her
characteristic speeches and so, "it was over," at last as far as Agnes
was concerned.

Not so with Ruth. She could scarcely command herself for the rest of the
day, she was so deeply moved by this thoughtful act of her sister. "And
to think of her wearing a common dress just for the sake of getting me
a handsome one," she said.

"Dear Agnes, if she only knew what thoughts I have had about having to
do without things sometimes, she could never love me enough to make this
sacrifice. I suppose it was providential; God had a hand in it. But that
is the strange part, that He should reward me after all my complaining."

These were soul-expanding thoughts, and had Ruth but taken them to God,
praying that they might be made the means of drawing her into a closer
union with Him, what a wonderful change would have passed over her. As
it was, they gave such a softness to her tone, and such gentleness to
her manner, that Martha, quite encouraged, ventured to express her
admiration of the dress, of the giver, and of the receiver, in such a
mixed up way, that Ruth was forced to laugh outright.

"I got a