should think so. Mr. Burgess, of course, understands the
necessity that always exists in a case of this kind for immediate
application."

"Oh, yes, he'll do it all right. I feel perfectly willing to trust the
matter in his hands."

As the reader has very naturally inferred, the circumstances of Mrs.
Ellison were of rather a pressing nature. Her family consisted of three
children, of whom Lucy was the eldest. Up to the time of her husband's
death, she had been surrounded with every comfort she could desire; but
Mr. Ellison's estate proving bankrupt, his family were left with but a
small, and that a very uncertain income. Upon this, by the practice of
great economy, they had managed to live. The final settlement of the
estate took away this resource, and the widow found herself with only a
small sum of money in hand, and all income cut off. This had occurred
about a month before the period of Lucy's introduction to the reader.
During this time, their gradually diminishing store, and the anxiety
they felt in regard to the future, destroyed all the remains of former
pride or regard for appearances, and made both Lucy and her mother
willing to do any thing that would yield them an income, provided it
were honourable. Nothing offered until nearly all their money was
exhausted, and the minds of the mother and eldest daughter were in a
state of great uncertainty and distress. Just at this darkest hour,
intelligence of the vacancy in Mr. C----'s school reached their ears.

Such being their circumstances, it may well be supposed that Lucy and
her mother felt deeply anxious to hear from Mr. Burgess, and counted
not only the hours as they passed, but the minutes that made up the
hours. Neither of them remarked on the fact that the day had nearly
come to its close without any communication having been received,
although both had expected to have heard much earlier from Mr. Burgess.
As the twilight began to fall, its gloom making their hearts feel
sadder, Mrs. Ellison said, "Don't you think we ought to have heard from
Mr. Burgess by this time, Lucy?"

"I hoped to have received some intelligence before this," replied the
daughter. "But perhaps we are impatient; it takes time to do every
thing."

"Yes; but it wouldn't take Mr. Burgess long to call upon Mr. C----. He
might have done it in half an hour from the time you saw him."

"If he could have left his business to do so; but you know men in
business cannot always command the