ter hearing
Jessie's account of her interview with Madge. "We must do what we can to
rescue her from the influence of her drunken mother."

CHAPTER XII.

Little Impulse beaten again.

After breakfast the next morning, Jessie sat down to her work with a
resolute will. Her _impulse_, was to spend the hours playing with Madge.
But her purpose to act by rule was strong, and it conquered. Guy went out
for the brown worsted, which her meeting with Madge, kept her from buying
the previous evening. So giving her _protege_ a seat on a cricket by her
side, she worked merrily, and with nimble fingers, on her uncle's
slippers. The tongues of the two girls, you may be sure, were as nimble as
Jessie's fingers.

While they were thus happily employed, Uncle Morris was out, looking after
the young outcast's mother.

Jessie had not been seated more than an hour before her brother Hugh, with
his friend, Walter Sherwood and his sister Carrie, came in, each armed
with a pair of skates, and well wrapped up, as was fitting they should be,
on a cold day in November. Carrie bounded into the room like a fawn, and
kissing her friend, exclaimed:

"O Jessie! this is a capital morning for skating! Walter has found a nice
safe place, and we have come to take you with us."

This was a strong temptation. Perhaps a stronger could not have been
offered, to incline her to break her purpose, and drop her work. There had
been no day since her skates had been given her, in which there had been
ice enough to try them. It was a new amusement, too, and her heart was set
upon it. Hence, an impulse came over her, to pitch the slipper into the
basket, seize her skates, and hurry away to the desired spot. In fact, she
half rose from the chair, and words of consent were rising to her lips,
when she thought of the little wizard, and reseating herself, replied:

"I would like to go ever so much, Carrie, but I must stay in until
dinner-time, and work on uncle's slippers."

"Bother the slippers! Who cares about them! Uncle don't need them, and why
should you be fussing over them," said Hugh.

"It's very pleasant to work for your good old uncle, I dare say, Miss
Jessie, but you can do that in the afternoon. We very much wish you to
join our party this morning," observed Walter.

"I know I _could_," replied Jessie; "but mother wishes me to sew or study
every morning until dinner-time, and I have resolved to do it. I have
broken my purpose a great many