nd this very day,
too; for she is going to cut out two night-shirts for the poor man we
are going to see, and we shall have to make them, as well as pinafores
for the children, and flannel petticoats for two old women who are in
Aunt Mary's district. Oh, such nice old dames they are, Mabel! I am sure
you will like them, dear; and they are so thankful for any little
kindness we do for them.'

'Such stupid, humdrum work!' exclaimed Mabel. 'I'm sure I shall be
miserable here. Hard lessons, coarse work, and looking after old and
sick people! I wonder you are not moped to death, Clara; it's even worse
than I thought it would be.'

'Well, wait a little while,' said patient Clara; 'you have had no
experience yet. I know very well you will alter your mind before six
months are over.'

'Six months!' exclaimed Mabel; 'why, I should be dead in that time, if
mamma suffers me to remain here. But I shall tell her all about it, and
beg her to let me go home.'

The entrance of Aunt Mary broke off the dialogue of the cousins, and
soon the obnoxious calico was spread out, and fashioned into useful
articles of wearing apparel.

'Here is your new workbox, my dear Mabel,' said her aunt; 'you will find
it stocked with all necessary things--thimble, and scissors, and
needles, and cotton--and all that I require of you is to keep it tidy.'

It was impossible for Mabel not to dismiss _some_, at least, of her
foolish prejudice against this kind friend, and the thanks she returned
for the really handsome present were hearty and genuine; and on fitting
on her thimble, and examining the bright scissors and the very pretty
needle, even her feelings respecting the coarse work on which they were
expected to be employed appeared to undergo a wonderful change.

'I can't do plain work very quickly, aunt,' said Mabel, when that lady
had given her a pair of sleeves to make; 'I never did much at home.'

'All right, my child; if you do your best, I promise you I shall be
satisfied. I know you will improve in time,' said Aunt Mary, kindly.

There was no reading this morning, because Clara and Aunt Mary, who
were both rapid seamstresses, had agreed, if possible, to finish the
night-shirt that had been cut out, and take it with them in the evening,
when they went to call at the cottage of poor Simmons, whom they had not
seen since their return home, but of whom they had learned from Bridget
a pretty satisfactory account. The good woman had taken them u