r house
without seeing her, Mrs. Hamilton determined on waiting. Annie had gone
out with Miss Malison.

"No wonder our poor Lilla proceeds but slowly in her education,"
remarked Mrs. Hamilton, when the footman gave her this information. "If
she be so much neglected, her father has no right to expect much
progress. I wish from my heart that I could think of some plan that
would tend not only to the happiness of this poor girl, but in the end
to that of her father also. Were those faults now apparent in her
character judiciously removed, I feel confident Mr. Grahame would have
more comfort in her than in either of his other children."

"She is always very different when she is with us," observed Ellen. "I
can never discover those evil passions of which so many accuse her;
passionate she is, but that might be controlled."

"It never can he while Miss Malison remains with her, for her treatment
is such that each year but increases the evil." A sound as of some one
sobbing violently in the adjoining room interrupted their conversation.
Fancying it came from the object of their conversation, Mrs. Hamilton
opened the folding-doors, and discovered her young friend weeping
violently, almost convulsively, on the sofa. Ever alive to sorrow, of
whatever nature or at whatever age, Mrs. Hamilton, followed by Ellen,
hastened towards her.

"What has happened, Lilla?" she said, soothingly. "What has chanced to
call forth this violent grief? tell me, my love. You know you need not
hesitate to trust me with your sorrows."

Unused, save from that one dear friend, to hear the voice of sympathy
and kindness, Lilla flung her arms passionately round her neck, and
clung to her for some few minutes till her choking sobs permitted her to
speak.

"Aunt Augusta says I am so wicked, so very wicked, that mamma ought not
to keep me at home, that I am not at all too old to go to school, and
mamma says that I shall go--and--and"--

"But what occasioned your aunt to advise such an alternative?" demanded
Mrs. Hamilton, gently.

"Oh, because--because I know I was very wicked, but I could not help it.
Miss Malison had been tormenting me all the morning, and exciting my
anger; and then Annie chose to do all she could to call it forth before
mamma, and so I just told her what I thought of both her and her amiable
confidant. I hate them both," she continued, with a vehemence even the
presence of Mrs. Hamilton could not restrain, "and I wish from my h