Then came the great chapter of that exercise. There was the
difficulty--how much time could Mrs. Fisher possibly afford to lose?--to
abandon to this object?--for the work must _pay_--or it could not
continue to be done. But the difficulty diminished upon examination.
Time may be counted by strength as well as by minutes. The same thing
may, by two different hands, be accomplished in most unequal portions of
time.

The dreadful feeling of weariness, which, as Lucy, she so well
remembered--one consequence of sitting so long in an unchanged position,
and at the same employment--that dreadful feeling could not be forgotten
by her. Her horror at the recollection was so strong, that of this
matter she thought more than even her benevolent husband.

He recollected to have heard that the Jesuits, those masters of human
development, physical as well as intellectual, never suffered a pupil to
be employed more than two hours upon the same thing without a change--to
get up and turn round the chair--to pace five minutes up and down the
room would in many cases suffice. Mr. Fisher laid down his plan.

Two hours the young ladies worked, and then for ten minutes they were
allowed to lay down their needles; they might walk about the room, into
the passage, up and down stairs, or sit still and lounge. That
precious, useful _lounge_, so fatally denied to the wearied spine of
many a growing girl, was here permitted. They might look about them, or
close their eyes and be stupefied; in short, do just what they liked.

It was soon found by experience that the work done after this refreshing
pause more than made up for the time thus expended.

Such were some of the plans of this kind-hearted and highly-principled
man--and the blooming looks, the gay spirits, the bright eyes, of the
happy little community did credit to the scheme.

Fisher lived but a few years to carry out the rule he had instituted;
but to his wife it was as a sacred legacy from his hand, and during the
whole course of her subsequent life she faithfully adhered to it.

Her house was like a convent in some things, but it was a very happy
convent. Every thing proceeded with a clock-work order, and yet there
was a liberty such as few girls thus employed, in spite of their
intervals of license, could enjoy.

It was a happy party, over which this remarkably handsome, and now
distinguishedly fashionable milliner, and dignified-looking lady
presided. Nothing indiscreet or