Farmer Owen's purse opened at her demands.

"Amos never was so liberal to me before," said his wife, and the whole
village echoed it.

"Mrs. Owen ought to pay you for staying there with her life-long
gratitude," said Mrs. Swan. "Let me congratulate you on your
unparalleled success in that quarter."

"Oh," said Clemence, ingenuously, "as to that, I claim no merit for
myself. I told you it was more from a lack of knowledge upon the subject
than from intentional wrong, that this poor woman was made to suffer. It
only needed some one to point out the error."

"You are a good girl, any way," said Mrs. Swan, by way of conclusion.
"Who but you would ever have thought of it, I should like to know?"

It very soon became the fashion to patronize and "bring out" little Mrs.
Owen in Waveland. People awoke to a knowledge of their duty, and
regularly now, every Sabbath, she came to meeting under the care of two
or more of the prim-looking matrons.

Clemence was pleased that they had, as she thought, at last begun to
appreciate her many excellent qualities, but she could not understand
exactly _why_ these kind people should be at such pains to flaunt their
good deeds. After much bewilderment, she came to the conclusion that
they must have thought her presuming, and considered that she ought to
be put in her place, instead of aspiring to teach them their duty.

"As if," she thought sadly, "I could be guilty of harboring such a
thought. I am afraid I shall never make many friends in Waveland."

She was glad when Monday morning came again, and she could resume her
school duties. At least, here was a legitimate object of interest to
occupy her mind. When the lessons were over for the day, she went back
with little Sammy Owen pattering along beside her. She seated herself,
and went to work industriously, on some sewing of Mrs. Owen's, and
applied herself so closely, that she completed the garment just as she
was called to supper.

"Well, I have finished your dress," she said, as she came to the table.

"And you are nearly tired to death," said Mr. Owen. "Susan, you ought
not to have allowed Miss Graystone to overwork herself."

Clemence protested it was nothing, and that a cup of their good tea
would rest her, and the worthy couple immediately set about loading her
plate with food enough to have satisfied the appetite of a plough-boy.
And as soon as she could slip away, she left the table.

Her hostess soon followed her, to tr