.
Harding, quietly.

"Ellen is no fool," returned the last speaker.

"In the most important act of her whole life, she has certainly not
shown herself to be a wise woman," said Mrs. Harding.

"But how in the world was she to know that Mr. Mallory was going to
turn out so badly?" spoke up Ella.

"By opening her eyes, and using the ability that God has given her
to see," was answered by Mrs. Harding.

"Those eyes are wondrous wise, I ween,
That see what is not to be seen,"

the maiden replied.

"Do you then really think, Ella," said Mrs. Harding, "that a young
lady cannot make herself as thoroughly acquainted with a man's real
qualities as to put any serious mistake in marriage entirely out of
the question?"

"To me, I must confess that marriage seems very much like a
lottery," answered Ella. "We may get a prize, but there are ten
chances to one of our getting a blank."

"If you choose to make it a lottery, it will no doubt become so; but
if entered into from right motives, there is no danger of this being
the case."

"I don't know what you call right motives," said one; "but I'll tell
you a necessary pre-requisite in the man who is to make me a
husband."

"Well, child, what is it?"

"Plenty of money. I'm not going to be a poor man's wife, and work
myself to death, all for love--no, not I!"

"I'll have a handsome man for a husband, or none," remarked another.

"Give me splendid talents," said a third.

"And what must you have, Ella?" asked Mrs. Harding, turning to the
one she addressed.

"All three, if I can get them," replied Ella.

"Beauty, wealth, and talents. These you think would satisfy you?"

"Oh, yes; I should be rather hard to please if they did not."

"Let me relate to you the histories of two friends of mine who
married young," said Mrs. Harding, without remarking upon what had
just been declared. "Perhaps they may contain lessons that it will
be of use for you all to get by heart."

"Oh, yes, do!" said the young ladies, gathering around Mrs. Harding,
who, after a short pause, related what follows.

"In my younger days," began Mrs. Harding, "I had two intimate
friends, to whom I was warmly attached. I loved them for their many
good qualities, and particularly for their unselfishness. To make
others happy, always appeared to give them a double pleasure. They
were nearly of the same age, and possessed equal external
advantages; but their characters were very different. Sarah Corb