line, so do come and help me through. I shall depend on you.

Yours ever, FAN.

"Bad news, my dear?" asked Miss Mills, who had just handed the note to
Polly as she came in one noon, a few weeks after Jenny's arrival.

Polly told her what it was, adding, "I suppose I ought to go and help
Fanny, but I can't say I want to. The girls talk about things I have
nothing to do with, and I don't find their gossip very amusing. I 'm an
outsider, and they only accept me on Fan's account; so I sit in a corner
and sew, while they chatter and laugh."

"Would n't it be a good chance to say a word for Jenny? She wants work,
and these young ladies probably have quantities done somewhere. Jenny
does fine work exquisitely, and begins to feel anxious to be earning
something. I don't want her to feel dependent and unhappy, and a little
well-paid sewing would be all she needs to do nicely. I can get it for
her by running round to my friends, but I really have n't the time, till
I get the Mullers off. They are paupers here, but out West they can take
care of themselves, so I 've begged the money to send them, and as soon
as I can get them some clothes, off they go. That 's the way to help
people help themselves," and Miss Mills clashed her big scissors
energetically, as she cut out a little red flannel shirt.

"I know it is, and I want to help, but I don't know where to begin,"
said Polly, feeling quite oppressed with the immensity of the work.

"We can't any of us do all we would like, but we can do our best for
every case that comes to us, and that helps amazingly. Begin with Jenny,
my dear; tell those girls about her, and if I 'm not much mistaken, you
will find them ready to help, for half the time it is n't hardness of
heart, but ignorance or thoughtlessness on the part of the rich, that
makes them seem so careless of the poor."

"To tell the truth, I 'm afraid of being laughed at, if I try to talk
seriously about such things to the girls," said Polly, frankly.

"You believe that 'such things' are true? You are sincere in your wish
to help better them, and you respect those who work for that end?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then, my dear, can't you bear a little ridicule for the sake of a good
cause? You said yesterday that you were going to make it a principle of
your life, to help up your sex as far and as fast as you could. It did
my heart good to hear you say it, for I was sure that in time you would
keep your word. But, Polly, a princ