ect he had attended the evening
before.

Hatty felt pleased as she saw the shadow passing from the old lady's
face, and she glanced across for Marcus to sympathize in her
satisfaction. He did not see her, but Hatty noticed that he placed a
comfortable chair, after breakfast, near the window where Aunt Barbara
best loved to sit, and drew a footstool up to it.

Marcus did not think that anybody observed him, but two hearts were made
glad by this little effort of kindness. Mrs. Lee and Hatty both saw that
Marcus' feelings towards Aunt Barbara had undergone a happy change.
Marcus' feelings had been touched, but feelings are a poor dependence
for doing right, without principle.

Hatty was delighted at the idea of going to church once more in her dear
native town. She felt that it would be a new and better thing to be
there, now that she could count herself among those who were glad at the
thought, "God is in His holy temple." Hatty began, in her impatience, to
make her preparations in very good season. She had laid out on her bed
all the things she expected to wear, when her mother called her to come
into the nursery.

Hatty went promptly as far as the door, but she moved across the floor
more slowly when she saw that her mother had a comb and brush in her
hand.

"I hope we shall have no trouble about the hair, this morning. It needs
parting, sadly," said Mrs. Lee, in her gentle way.

Hatty's mind was made up at that moment; her mother might pull as hard
as was necessary, _she_ would not say a word if it hurt her ever so
much.

Mrs. Lee used the comb very carefully, yet it was disagreeable, almost
painful to Hatty's delicate skin. She shut her mouth tight, however, and
thought of her resolution to bear little hurts pleasantly, and actually
got through without a murmur.

When the hair was brushed smoothly, Hatty's face looked very sweet from
the effort she had made to do right, and she well deserved the
affectionate kiss her mother pressed on her lips.

"Perhaps I could help Aunt Barbara get ready for church," said Hatty,
one right action leading to another.

"Aunt Barbara is not well enough to go, to-day. I am very sorry, on my
own account as well as on hers. It is Communion day, and I had hoped to
go to church, for the first time in many weeks."

"But cannot you go, Mother?" said Hatty, earnestly.

"No, my dear," said Mrs. Lee, quietly. "I do not like to leave Aunt
Barbara with no one to wait upon her. I pro