rammar.

The song came floating to them through the balmy June air.

"`O God, my strength, and fortitude,
Of force I must love Thee!
Thou art my castle and defence
In my necessity.'"

The strange lady sighed, much to Molly's perplexity; then she rapped at
the door. It was opened by Jenny, who stood with an inquiring look on
her face, which asked the visitor plainly to say who she was.

"You don't know me, then, Jenny Lavender?"

"No, Ma-- Dear heart! is it Mrs Millicent?"

"It is Millicent Danbury, Jenny. And I am Millicent Danbury still,
though you are Jenny Fenton."

"Pray you, come within, Mrs Millicent," said Jenny cordially. "I'm
right glad to see you. There's been a many changes since we met--Molly,
dust that chair, quick, and bring it up for the gentlewoman."

"Ay," said Millicent, with another sigh, as she sat down in the heavy
Windsor chair which it required all Molly's strength to set for her;
"there are many changes, Jenny, very many, since you and I lived
together at Bentley Hall."

"Not for the worser, are they?" replied Jenny cheerfully.

"Ah! I'm not so sure of that, Jenny," answered Millicent.

"Well, I'm nowise afeard of changes," said Jenny, in the same bright
tone. "The Lord means His people good by all the changes He sends.
Mrs Millicent, won't you tarry a while and sup your four-hours with
us?"

The meal which our ancestors called "four-hours" answered to our tea;
but tea had not yet been introduced into England, though it was very
soon to be so. They drank, therefore, either milk, or weak home-brewed
ale.

"With all my heart," was the reply, "if I'm not in your way, Jenny. You
are washing, I see."

"I've done for to-day, and Tom and me'll be as pleased as can be if
you'll take a bit with us, Mrs Millicent. Molly, child, fetch forth
the table-cloth, and get the salt-cellar, and then run and tell
father.--She's a handy little maid for her years," added Jenny, with
motherly pride.

Millicent smiled rather sadly. "You are a happy woman, Jenny!" she
said.

"Bless the Lord, so I am!" echoed Jenny. "It's the Lord's blessing
makes folks happy."

"Say you so?--then maybe that is why I am not," said Millicent, rather
bitterly. "I don't know much of the Lord."

"That's a trouble can be mended," said Jenny softly; "and you'll be main
glad when it is, take my word for it."

"I don't know how to set about it, Jenny."

"Why, dear heart! how do you set about knowing