she now regretted
exceedingly that Stella had not been present to hear Miss Preston's
earnest words.

"Oh, Stella," she said eagerly, "I do _so_ wish you had been with me!
If you had only heard what Miss Preston said to us, it would have done
you good all your life."

"Well, you know I don't worship Miss Preston," replied Stella, always
ready to tease, "she looks so demure. And as for dressing, why, Ada
and Sophy wouldn't be seen out in the morning in that common-looking
muslin she wore to church."

"Oh, Stella, how can you go on so?" exclaimed Lucy impatiently. "If
you only had something better to think of, you wouldn't talk as if you
thought dress the one thing needful."

"That's a quotation from one of Uncle Raymond's sermons, isn't it?"
rejoined Stella aggravatingly.

Lucy drew her arm away from her cousin's and walked off alone to the
house, obliged to hear Stella's closing remark: "Well, I'm glad _I_
didn't go to Sunday school if it makes people come home cross and
sulky!" And then, unconscious of the sting her words had implanted,
Stella turned to meet little Harry, who was bounding home in his
highest spirits.

Lucy slowly found her way to her own room, her especial sanctuary,
where she had a good deal of pleasure in keeping her various
possessions neatly arranged. At present it was shared by her young
visitor, whose careless, disorderly ways were a considerable drawback
to the pleasure so long anticipated of having a companion of her own
age. Just now her eye fell at once on her ransacked bookcase all in
confusion, with the books scattered about the room. It was a trifle,
but trifles are magnified when the temper is already discomposed; and
throwing down her gloves and Bible, she hastily proceeded to rearrange
them, feeling rather unamiably towards her cousin.

But as she turned back from the completed task, her card with its
motto met her eye, like a gentle reproof to her ruffled
spirit--"LOOKING UNTO JESUS." Had she not forgotten that already? She
had come home enthusiastic--full of an ideal life she was to live, an
example and influence for good to all around her. But, mingled in her
aspirations, there was an unconscious desire for pre-eminence and an
insidious self-complacency--"little foxes" that will spoil the best
grapes. She had to learn that God will not be served with unhallowed
fire; that the heart must be freed from pride and self-seeking before
it can be fit for the service of the sanctua