amish took the mother away to visit her sister in the
next township, and during their absence Shenac kept little Flora away
from the school to do such little things as she could do about the
house, and finished the wool by doing six days' work in three, and then
confessed to Dan in confidence, that she was as tired as she ever wished
to be.

She need not have hurried so much, for mother came home quite reconciled
to the spinning--indeed a little proud of all that had been said in
Shenac's praise when the matter was laid before the friends they had
been to see. So she said, as Mrs McDonald was far from well yet, she
would dye her worsted for her; and Shenac was glad to rest herself with
the pleasant three miles' walk to give the message and get directions.

Shenac's part of the bargain was fulfilled in spirit and letter; and
certainly nothing less could be said as to the part of John Firinn.
Even Angus Dhu and John Cameron, who kept sharp eyes on him during his
work, had no fault to find with the way in which it was done. It was
done well and in the right time, and it was with satisfaction quite
inexpressible that Shenac looked over the smooth field and listened to
her mother's congratulations that this was one good job well and timely
done. Ever after that she was John McDonald's fast friend, and the
friend of his sickly wife. No one ever ventured to speak a
disrespectful word of John before her; and the successful sowing of the
wheat-field was by no means the last piece of work he did, and did well,
for the widow and her children.

CHAPTER TEN.

Winter set in early that year, but not too early for Shenac and her
brothers. The winter preparations had all been made before the
delightful stormy morning came, when Hugh and Colin and little Flora
chased one another round and round in the door-yard, making many paths
in the new-fallen snow. The house had been banked up with earth, and
every crack and crevice in the roof and walls closed. The garden had
been dug and smoothed as if the seeds were to be sown the next day. The
barn and stable were in perfect order. The arrangements for tying up
oxen and cows, which are always sure to get out of order in summer, had
been made anew, and the farming-tools gathered safely under cover.

These may seem little things; but the comfort of many a household has
been interfered with because such little things have been neglected.
What may be done at any time is very often