s have good minds, and study
well, the teacher told me. The teacher is young and gentle, with a
face full of kindness, a certain expression of sadness, like a
reflection of the misfortunes which she caresses and comforts. The
dear girl! Among all the human creatures who earn their livelihood
by toil, there is not one who earns it more holily than thou, my
daughter!

THY MOTHER.

SACRIFICE.

Tuesday, 9th.

My mother is good, and my sister Silvia is like her, and has a large and
noble heart. Yesterday evening I was copying a part of the monthly
story, _From the Apennines to the Andes_,--which the teacher has
distributed among us all in small portions to copy, because it is so
long,--when Silvia entered on tiptoe, and said to me hastily, and in a
low voice: "Come to mamma with me. I heard them talking together this
morning: some affair has gone wrong with papa, and he was sad; mamma was
encouraging him: we are in difficulties--do you understand? We have no
more money. Papa said that it would be necessary to make some sacrifices
in order to recover himself. Now we must make sacrifices, too, must we
not? Are you ready to do it? Well, I will speak to mamma, and do you nod
assent, and promise her on your honor that you will do everything that I
shall say."

Having said this, she took me by the hand and led me to our mother, who
was sewing, absorbed in thought. I sat down on one end of the sofa,
Silvia on the other, and she immediately said:--

"Listen, mamma, I have something to say to you. Both of us have
something to say to you." Mamma stared at us in surprise, and Silvia
began:--

"Papa has no money, has he?"

"What are you saying?" replied mamma, turning crimson. "Has he not
indeed! What do you know about it? Who has told you?"

"I know it," said Silvia, resolutely. "Well, then, listen, mamma; we
must make some sacrifices, too. You promised me a fan at the end of May,
and Enrico expected his box of paints; we don't want anything now; we
don't want to waste a soldo; we shall be just as well pleased--you
understand?"

Mamma tried to speak; but Silvia said: "No; it must be thus. We have
decided. And until papa has money again, we don't want any fruit or
anything else; broth will be enough for us, and we will eat bread in the
morning for breakfast: thus we shall spend less on the table, for we
already spend too much; and we promise you that you will always find us
perfectl