ghost of her old comical smile gleaming in her
eyes. "Well, I--I didn't exactly _enjoy_ it," she said, trying to be
polite and truthful at the same time. "It is rather hard at first, but--
but I wouldn't mind that if--if--"

"If what, dear?" asked Miss Charlotte gently. "Is it anything I can help
in?"

"No-o, I am afraid not, thank you. It's the singing--Miss Row wants us
all to sing in the choir!"

The great and terrible news was out, the shadow that hung over them was
explained, and eight eyes gazed at Miss Charlotte, expecting to read in
her face something of the shock and dismay they had felt, instead of which
she sat looking quite unmoved and rather amused. "Well, dears, I don't
see anything very dreadful in that. Do you?"

"But we can't," cried Esther. "We can't sing, except just a little bit to
ourselves."

"But you can learn. I don't suppose Miss Row, or any one else, would
expect you to sing perfectly at first. She would teach you. You said you
wanted to learn all you could, didn't you, dear?"

"Ye-es," said Esther slowly, feeling she was having the worst of the
argument, but unmoved in her dread and dislike of joining the choir.
"But I never thought of this; this is different."

"Yes; but, dear, you will find very few things happen just as you would
have them to. We may miss the best chances of our lives if we insist on
that. You told me you wanted to save money and expense--now here is your
opportunity. You will gain a knowledge of music and singing such as you
could not gain in any other way, for even if we had the means, there is no
one here to teach you. I dare say you feel a little shy and nervous, but
don't be foolishly so, dears. All your lives you will be thankful you had
this chance."

Esther had no word to say. She felt she was in the wrong again, and that
is never a pleasant feeling.

"But I could never sing before so many people, Cousin Charlotte," said
Angela. "I wouldn't mind so much if it was only just ourselves, but I am
sure I couldn't sing before strangers."

"Then, dear, it will be good for you in another way. You must learn to
get over your self-consciousness. You must not imagine the eyes of every
one are on you. You must try to forget all about yourself. Remember that
every one there has a lot else to think about, and that you are only one
little person amongst a number." Cousin Charlotte laid her hand on
Angela's to take away any seeming severity from he