he employs himself now, and teaches Amy to do the same. You know,
after the governess went, we were afraid little Amy would never do
anything but wait on Charles, and idle in her pretty gentle way; but
when he turned to better things so did she, and her mind has been
growing all this time. Perhaps you don't see it, for she has not lost
her likeness to a kitten, and looks all demure silence with the elders,
but she takes in what the wise say.'

'She is a very good little thing; and I dare say will not be the worse
for growing up slowly.'

'Those two sisters are specimens of fast and slow growth. Laura
has always seemed to be so much more than one year older than Amy,
especially of late. She is more like five-and-twenty than twenty. I
wonder if she overworks herself. But how we have lingered over our
dinner!'

By half-past three, Mary was entering a copse which led into Mr.
Edmonstone's field, when she heard gay tones, and a snatch of one of the
sweetest of old songs,--

Weep no more, lady; lady, weep no more,
Thy sorrow is in vain;
For violets pluck'd, the sweetest showers
Will ne'er make grow again.

A merry, clear laugh followed, and a turn in the path showed her Guy,
Amy, and Charlotte, busy over a sturdy stock of eglantine. Guy, little
changed in these two years,--not much taller, and more agile than
robust,--was lopping vigorously with his great pruning-knife, Amabel
nursing a bundle of drooping rose branches, Charlotte, her bonnet in a
garland of wild sweet-brier, holding the matting and continually getting
entangled in the long thorny wreaths.

'And here comes the "friar of orders gray," to tell you so,' exclaimed
Guy, as Mary, in her gray dress, came on them.

'Oh, that is right, dear good friar,' cried Amy.

'We are so busy,' said Charlotte; 'Guy has made Mr. Markham send all
these choice buds from Redclyffe.'

'Not from the park,' said Guy, 'we don't deal much in gardening; but
Markham is a great florist, and these are his bounties.'

'And are you cutting that beautiful wild rose to pieces?'

'Is it not a pity?' said Amy. 'We have used up all the stocks in the
garden, and this is to be transplanted in the autumn.'

'She has been consoling it all the time by telling it it is for its
good,' said Guy; 'cutting off wild shoots, and putting in better
things.'

'I never said anything so pretty; and, after all, I don't know that the
grand roses will be equ