"And me too!" vociferated Jack; the circumstance that they were not
considered old enough yet to go to Sunday school giving it a wonderful
charm in their eyes. Then, as they set off again on another race
toward their mother, it occurred to Bessie for the first time that
these little ones were quite old enough to learn the things that other
little children learned at Sunday school, and that although they were
not strong enough for the long walk, and her mother's time and
thoughts were always so fully engrossed with the round of domestic
duties, _she_ might easily find time to teach her little brother and
sister as much as they could understand about the Saviour, who had
died that they might be made good, and who when on earth had blessed
little children. Something Miss Preston had said about home
duties--about helping to teach and guide the little brothers and
sisters--now recurred to her mind, and conscience told her that these
duties she had hitherto failed of performing. She had never herself
really taken Christ for her own Saviour and Guide, although she often
felt a vague wish that she were "good," and the desire of pleasing
Christ entered but little, if at all, into the motives and actions of
her daily life. But she generally _knew_ what was right, and
occasionally, while the impulse from some good influence was still
fresh, would try to _do_ it.

"I know Miss Preston would say I ought to teach Jenny and Jack some
verses and hymns on Sunday," she thought. "I'll begin to-night, when
mother and the boys are gone to church;" for a certain shyness about
seeming "good" made her wish to begin her teaching without witnesses.

"Here, Bessie," said Mrs. Ford as Bessie approached, "do run and get
the tea ready--there's a good girl. I shan't be through yet for half
an hour, for I've the calves to see to; and your father and the boys
'll be in from watering the horses, and if we don't get tea soon
they'll be late for church."

Bessie went in to change her dress, with her usually good-humoured
face contracted into a dissatisfied expression. She was tired; it
would have been nice to sit down and read her Sunday-school book till
tea-time. But of course nothing could be said; so she hurriedly pulled
off her walking things, grumbling a little in her own mind at the
difference between her own lot and that of Lucy Raymond, who, she felt
sure, had none of these tiresome things to do. She had never
thought--what, indeed, older peo