isiters to buy specimens of their work; and she was anxious to
carry some to their friends.

Their conductor seemed gratified with this hint, and directly left them,
and returned with a large basket filled with embroidered needle-books,
reticules, work-boxes, purses, scissor-cases, &c. &c.

Edward and Julia eagerly examined the beautiful productions of the taste
and industry of the cloistered sisters. Edward was particularly struck
with a sack or purse, made of birch bark, and wrought with porcupine
quills of the richest dyes. On one side of it was an indian woman,
carrying an infant according to the aboriginal fashion, laced to a board
which was laid on her back; the little creature's head was just visible,
peeping over her shoulder. A boy was standing beside her with a bow and
arrow, on the reverse was a group of indians seated under an oak tree,
smoking the long feathered and beaded pipe, which they call the calumet
of peace, "Oh, mother," said Edward, holding up the sack, "is not this
very valuable?"

"It is certainly very handsome," replied his mother.

"But that is not all, mother--it is certainly very valuable, as an
illustration of indian customs.--I wish"----he added and paused.

"What do you wish, Ned?" asked his mother.

"Nothing, mama," he replied, sighing, laying down the sack, and turning
away; "I only wish I had not seen it."

Julia was all this time looking at a very curious work-basket, which she
thought a masterpiece. She turned it from side to side, examined the
roses, carnations, jessamines, and violets, that had been wrought with
such exquisite skill as to represent to the life the peerless flowers
they were made to imitate; and for one moment she too wished that her
five dollars was still at her own disposal. Mrs. Sackville read what
was passing in the minds of her children. She took them aside: "My dear
Ned and Julia," she said, "I fear you may be regretting your hasty
benevolence, when you devoted to a charitable purpose all the money your
father gave you for such gratifications as are now offered to you; you
did it from a sudden impulse of generosity: you have, I believe, as yet
expended but a small portion of your money, and if you now prefer to
appropriate it to the purchase of these very tempting articles, I will
myself assume the expense of getting Mrs. Barton to Quebec."

Edward and Julia looked at their mother, and at one another without
replying a word. Mrs. Sackville returned to