s. Not going to school, nor learning anything;
cooking and scrubbing for Aunt Candy; and you petted and taken
up-stairs to be taught, and asked out to tea, and made much of. Nobody
remembers that I am alive."

"Dear Maria, I have been asked out to tea just once."

"You'll be asked again."

"And I am sure people come to see you. Frances Barth was here
yesterday; and Sarah Haight and Esther Trembleton two days ago; and
Esther asked you to tea too."

"I couldn't go."

"But people remember you are alive. O Maria, they remember you too. Mr.
Richmond don't forget you; and Miss Benton asked you to come to tea
with her."

"It is all very well talking," said Maria. "I know what I know; and I
am getting tired of it. You are the only one that has any really good
times."

It soon appeared that one of Matilda's good times was not to be to-day.
Mrs. Candy and Clarissa looked on her coldly, spoke to her dryly, and
made her feel that she was not in favour. Matilda could bear this
down-stairs pretty well; but when she found her self in Mrs. Candy's
room for her morning hours of reading and darning, it became heavy.
Reading was not the first thing to-day. Mrs. Candy called Matilda to
stand before her, while she proceeded to give her a species of
correction in words.

"You were baptized a few weeks ago, Matilda."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And by so being, you became a member of the Church;--of your church."

"Yes, ma'am."

"What do you think are the duties of a member of the Church?"

A comprehensive question, Matilda thought. She hesitated.

"I ask you, what do you think are the duties of a member of the Church?
in any branch of it."

"I suppose they are the same as anybody else's duties," Matilda
answered.

"The same as anybody else's duties."

"Yes, Aunt Candy."

"You think it makes no change in one's duties?"

"What change does it make, aunt Candy?"

Matilda spoke in all innocence; but Mrs. Candy flushed and frowned. It
did not sweeten her mood that she could not readily find an answer for
the child.

"You allow, at least, that it is one of your duties to obey the fifth
commandment?"

"Yes, Aunt Candy. I try to do it."

"Did you try last night?"

Matilda was silent.

"You made me guilty of rudeness by not delivering the message I had
charged you with; and you confessed it was not through forgetfulness.
Will you tell me now why it was?"

It had been through a certain nice sense on Matilda's part that the
m