h her. There was a morning concert advertised
for to-morrow, and Samuel was ordered to take places for a large party,
including a place for Mr. Ablewhite. "All the tickets may be gone,
Miss," said this innocent youth, "if I don't run and get them at once!"
He ran as he said the words--and I found myself alone again, with some
anxious thoughts to occupy me.

We had a special meeting of the Mothers'-Small-Clothes-Conversion
Society that night, summoned expressly with a view to obtaining
Mr. Godfrey's advice and assistance. Instead of sustaining
our sisterhood, under an overwhelming flow of Trousers which
quite prostrated our little community, he had arranged to take
coffee in Montagu Square, and to goto a ball afterwards!
The afternoon of the next day had been selected for the Festival of the
British-Ladies'-Servants'-Sunday-Sweetheart-Supervision Society. Instead
of being present, the life and soul of that struggling Institution, he
had engaged to make one of a party of worldlings at a morning concert!
I asked myself what did it mean? Alas! it meant that our Christian Hero
was to reveal himself to me in a new character, and to become associated
in my mind with one of the most awful backslidings of modern times.

To return, however, to the history of the passing day. On finding myself
alone in my room, I naturally turned my attention to the parcel which
appeared to have so strangely intimidated the fresh-coloured young
footman. Had my aunt sent me my promised legacy? and had it taken the
form of cast-off clothes, or worn-out silver spoons, or unfashionable
jewellery, or anything of that sort? Prepared to accept all, and to
resent nothing, I opened the parcel--and what met my view? The twelve
precious publications which I had scattered through the house, on the
previous day; all returned to me by the doctor's orders! Well might the
youthful Samuel shrink when he brought his parcel into my room! Well
might he run when he had performed his miserable errand! As to my
aunt's letter, it simply amounted, poor soul, to this--that she dare not
disobey her medical man.

What was to be done now? With my training and my principles, I never had
a moment's doubt.

Once self-supported by conscience, once embarked on a career of manifest
usefulness, the true Christian never yields. Neither public nor private
influences produce the slightest effect on us, when we have once got our
mission. Taxation may be the consequence of a mission;