rs came into her eyes.

"O mother! you have indeed made her all I can wish," she said, turning
to Mrs Leslie.

"Not I, my dear Mary, I did but what God tells us to do in His Word; I
corrected her faults as I discovered them, and have ever sought guidance
from Him. But His Holy Spirit has done the work which no human person
could accomplish."

Norman, conscience-stricken, had hidden himself in the shrubbery. The
rest of the party supposing that he had run into the house, continued
their walk, and after taking a few turns in the shady avenue they went
in-doors.

Mrs Norton, Fanny's governess, having just then arrived she set to work
on her lessons, while her mamma and Mrs Leslie went to the
drawing-room.

"I am afraid, mamma, that you must think Norman a very naughty boy,"
said Mrs Vallery, "I have spoken to him very often about his conduct,
and as yet I see no improvement."

"I have hopes that he will at all events learn that he must not tell
stories," observed Mrs Leslie, "and if your husband takes the same
means that he did this morning to teach him what is wrong he will by
degrees learn what he must not do. It is far more difficult to teach a
child what it ought to do, though I trust the good example set by our
dear Fanny will have its due effect, while we must continue to pray
without ceasing that the heart of your child may be changed."

"I fear he has a very bad heart now," sighed Mrs Vallery, "I am always
in dread that he should do something wrong."

"All children have bad seeds in their hearts, and it is our duty by
constant and careful weeding to root them out, and to impress also on
the child from its earliest days the necessity of endeavouring to do so
likewise. The child is not excused as it gains strength and knowledge
if it does not perform its own part in the work," observed Mrs Leslie.
"We justly believe our Fanny to be sweet and charming, but she is well
aware of this, and is ever on the watch to overcome the evil she
discovers within herself. Depend upon it, did she not do so she would
not be the delightful creature we think her."

"Could Fanny possibly have been otherwise than delightful?" said Mrs
Vallery.

"Not only possibly, but very probably so, although we, blinded by our
love might have overlooked the faults of which she would certainly have
been guilty," answered Mrs Leslie. "One of the chief lessons we should
endeavour to impress on young people is the importance of keeping a