ry to form a connecting link between them and
the toilet articles on the opposite counter. To one of these modest
retreats of literature, Matilda came this day and requested to look at
Bibles. She chose one and paid for it; but she took a long time to make
her choice; was excessively particular about the goodness of the
binding and the clearness of the type; detecting an incipient loose
leaf in one that was given her to examine; and finally going away
perfectly satisfied. She said nothing about it at home; but of course
Maria saw the new purchase immediately.

"So you have been to get a Bible!" she said. "Did you get it with part
of your twenty-five dollars?"

"Yes. I had no other money, Maria, to get it with."

"I think you are very foolish. What do you want a Bible for?"

"I had none."

"You could always read mine."

"Not always. And Maria, you know, if we are to follow Jesus, we want to
know very well, indeed, how He went and what He did and what He wants
us to do; and we cannot know all that without a _great deal_ of study."

"I have studying enough to do already, for my part," said Maria.

"But you must study this."

"I haven't a minute of time, Matilda--not a minute."

"Then how will you know what to do?"

"Just as well as you will, perhaps. I've got my map of South America to
do all over, from the beginning."

"And all the rest of the class?"

"Yes."

"Then you are no worse off than the others. And Ailie Swan reads her
Bible, I know."

"I think I am just as good as Ailie Swan," said Maria, with a toss of
her head.

"But, Maria," said Maria's little sister, leaning her elbows on the
table and looking earnestly up at her.

"Well, what?"

"Is that the right way to talk?"

"Why not?"

"I don't see what Ailie has to do with your being good."

"Nor I, I am sure," said Maria. "It was you brought her up."

"Because, if she has time, I thought you might have time."

"Well, I haven't time," said Maria. "It is as much as I can do, to
study my lesson for Sunday-School."

"Then, Maria, how _can_ you know how to be good?"

"It is no part of goodness to go preaching to other people, I would
have you know," said Maria.

Matilda turned over the leaves of her new Bible lovingly, and said no
more. But her sister failing her, she was all the more driven to seek
the little meetings in the corner of the Sunday-School-room; and they
grew to be more and more pleasant. At home nothing seemed to be right