ile her eyes filled with tears, she murmured, almost unconsciously,

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."

We would not like to vouch for it, but, perhaps, while Ellen had been
speaking, with the remembrance of her relatives, another image had
arisen in her mind, and she thought, "And he, too, he will hear of what
they will deem my terrible fate."

There was pleasure, mingled with pain, as her heart suggested, that
eyes, albeit unused to weep, might even now be shedding a tear over her
untimely doom; for Arthur did not, could not, conceal the deep interest
he felt in her welfare; and as she called to mind his kindness, his
sympathy, when all the world seemed dark to her, she felt her heart
thrill with strange emotion, and she asked herself, again and again,
"Shall I ever be so happy as to see him once more?"

"Mr. Elliot is, indeed," said she, in reply to Ellen, after a short
pause, "worthy of you, as far as I have had an opportunity of judging,
and that is saying a good deal, Ellen. But I must tell you what I was
thinking of, this morning, while I sat here alone. You told me, the
other day, that the children of the neighborhood were growing up in
fearful ignorance, destitute, as they are, of a teacher, and I thought,
if it met with the approbation of their parents, that I could not be
more usefully or happily employed, during the time that must intervene
before I have an opportunity of returning to my friends, than
instructing those little ones, a few hours each day. Our evenings, too,
might be pleasantly occupied, for I overheard you, when I was lying ill,
expressing a wish to know how to write, and these long winter evenings
will afford abundant opportunity for your taking lessons, and any of
your young companions, that may wish to join you."

Ellen was delighted with the proposition, and warmly expressed her
thanks, and Agnes's wishes were speedily carried into effect. A small
unoccupied cottage was fitted up as a school-house, to which all the
children of the neighborhood, far and near, daily repaired, while at
night the young people of both sex filled the good-sized room of Mr.
Williamson's dwelling, thirsting for that instruction which Agnes was so
willing to impart. Nor did her efforts end here. Of pastoral guidance
these poor people were equally destitute; as sheep without a shepherd,
they had long "stumbled on the dark mountains of sin and error," but now
each Sabbath morning found them co