s comparatively easy for Master Sam to play truant, as indeed he
sometimes did from the day school, where his chances of punishment
were much greater, Mr. Ford being far more alive to the advantages of
a "good education" than to the need of the knowledge which "maketh
wise unto salvation." So that, when Bessie began her usual "Why, Sam,
you weren't at Sunday school!" Sam had some plausible excuse all
ready, the ingenuity of which would amuse his father so much as to
lead him to overlook the offence.

"Well, Bessie," her mother exclaimed when they were all seated, "I
really believe you haven't forgotten anything, for _once_. I should
not wonder if you were to turn out a decent housekeeper yet."

For it was Mrs. Ford's great complaint of Bessie, that she was so
"heedless" and "needed so much minding," though she would always add,
modifying her censure, "But then you can't put an old head on young
shoulders, and the child has a real good _heart_." And being a
thoroughly active and diligent housekeeper, she generally found it
less trouble to supply Bessie's shortcomings herself, so that
Bessie's home education was likely to suffer by her mother's very
proficiency, unless she should come to see that to do all things well
was a duty she owed "unto the Lord, and not unto men."

"So, Bessie, you're going to lose your teacher?" said her father. "I
hear she's to be married on Thursday."

"Yes, father, she bade us all good-bye to-day; and she gave us such
pretty cards, mother, with a text and a hymn;" and on the impulse of
the moment she ran up for hers, and brought it down for inspection. It
was handed round the table, eliciting various admiring comments, and
exciting Jack's desire to get it into his own hands, which being
thwarted, he was with difficulty consoled by an extra supply of bread
and butter.

"And, mother," asked Bessie, somewhat doubtfully, "may I go to-morrow
and get the things to work a book-mark for Miss Preston? I'd like to
do it for a new Bible the teachers are going to give her."

"I don't care," said Mrs. Ford, "if you'll only not neglect everything
else while you're doing it. I don't believe in girls fiddling away
their time with such things, and not knowing how to make good cheese
and butter. But I wouldn't hinder you from making a present to Miss
Preston, for she has been a good teacher to you."

Bessie looked delighted, but the expression quickly changed when her
mother said, as they rose from tabl