Seam and gusset and band,"

rang in her ears, so that she specially felt rested and soothed by the
calm and quiet of Miss Manners's pretty room, with the open windows and
the scent of flowers coming in from the garden.

The subject was next Sunday's Gospel, about the Great Supper and the
excuse-making guests. Miss Manners read out part of Archbishop Trench's
comment on the Parable before she talked to the teachers about what they
were to say to their classes; and Jessie felt deeply that to let herself
be engrossed by this undertaking, so as to allow no time for her
religious duties, would be only too like the guests who went "one to his
farm, and another to his merchandise." She was advised to make it a
lesson to her class against false or insufficient excuses, such as
saying they were late at school because mother wanted them to take a
message, when they had dawdled all the way instead of hastening to
school. Miss Manners lent the volume of Miss Edgeworth's _Rosamond_ to
Jessie, to read the chapter on Excuses to her girls, so as to bring home
the lesson, though she was to carry it higher, and put them in mind that
if they put their duties aside for these little things now, they would
be learning to forget their Heavenly Master for earthly matters, and
would never taste of His supper.

It made Jessie doubly and trebly determined that she would not take a
lie-a-bed on Sunday morning to make up for loss of rest before, and thus
miss the early Celebration on her monthly Sunday. Indeed, she felt drawn
to come oftener, if it would not be presuming.

She came home from Church in the summer twilight, when even Grace could
not work, and was standing a moment at the door before lighting the
lamp.

"Well, miss, I hope you have wasted enough daylight," she said.

"I hope it wasn't quite wasted," said Jessie, cheerfully. "I shall work
ever so much quicker for the rest I have had."

And she was as good as her word, and spent an hour in her pleasant
embroidery of the pretty white letters of the name which she really
delighted in doing, only she would have liked a fresh pattern instead of
making all the seventy-two Ninas exactly alike.

She was at work before half-past six the next day, and had three more
letters done before it was time to go to Miss Lee's, where it was a busy
day of finishing work; and when at three o'clock the last stitch was put
to the dress that had been made out of Mrs. Drew's cambric, Miss Lee
a