ed
explanation, to which the little girl listened intently.

"I do not hear yet what was the business done to-night?" Mrs.
Englefield went on.

"Why, there were committees formed," said Letitia, "for doing every
sort of business under heaven."

"Committees!" said the two ladies who had stayed at home.

"Maria can tell you," said Anne. "Maria, on how many committees are
you?"

Maria hugged the fire and did not answer.

"On how many, Maria?"

"I don't know. I didn't count."

"I lost count, too," her sister said. "Let me see. Mamma, Maria has
undertaken to find and bring in new scholars for the school."

"I hope she will be punctual in going herself, then," said Mrs.
Englefield. "She _hasn't_ been, this six months past, to my knowledge."

"Oh, but I am now, mamma," said Maria.

"She has undertaken to practise for the school singing."

"I didn't," said Maria. "I only said I would help in it."

"Your help will not be worth much without practising. She has promised
to undertake temperance work, too. _How_ she will manage it, I do not
know; unless she is going to begin upon us here at home. We are all
such hard drinkers."

"Almost all the Sunday-School are engaged to help in temperance work,"
said Maria, standing on her defence.

"How are _you_ going to do anything?" her mother asked. "You have
neither brothers, nor father, nor cousins, in danger, that you can go
to work upon them. What are you going to do, Maria?"

"That is but the beginning, mamma," Anne went on. "Maria is also
engaged to visit the sick and afflicted, and make soup and give
medicine for them."

"Why, I did not, Anne!" Maria exclaimed again.

"What did you mean, then, by joining the 'Aid and Comfort' committee?"

"I did not say I would make soup, or give medicine. Everybody does not
make soup."

"No; and so I thought that is just what the 'Aid and Comfort' committee
agreed to do."

"And the doctors give the medicine," said Matilda. "Clarissa is on that
committee too."

"We can go together," said Maria; "and we can find something to do."

"Something for somebody else to do," said Anne. "You can find who would
like some soup, can't you?"

"There are next to no poor people in Shadywalk," said Mrs. Englefield.
"I don't believe there is anybody in the village who would like some
soup better than I should."

"There are several doctors," said Anne; "so I am afraid there are sick
people occasionally. Else the doctors will soon be in