uel!" she thought, or rather spoke--"how cruel of Mrs. Fairchild
to go away, and hardly to say one word to me! But I know she despises
me; she can think nobody worth anything but her own children:" then
there was another burst of tears, and more sobs.

After a little time, all spent in crying, she heard her door open
again, and turning round, she saw Mrs. Fairchild come in without her
bonnet, in her usual dress, and with a work-bag in her hand. She came
straight up to the weeping girl, and kissing her, "Now, Bessy," she
said, "wipe away those tears, and we will have a happy and, I hope,
useful evening. Betty will be ready to help us immediately, and we
shall set to work and see what we can do in putting your things to
rights. The carriage is gone with all the rest of the party, and I have
sent a message to your aunt by Mr. Fairchild. He will make the best of
the affair, and if you will help, we will try to put all these things
to rights."

"Oh, Mrs. Fairchild," said Bessy, throwing herself into her arms, "and
have you given up your pleasure for such a naughty girl as I am?"

"I have given up no pleasure so great as I shall receive, dear Miss
Goodriche, if I can see you trying to do right this evening: trying for
once to work hard, and to overcome those habits which give your aunt so
much pain. Come, put on your frock, and let us set to work
immediately."

The eyes of poor Bessy again filled with tears, but they were tears of
gratitude and love; and she hastened to put on her frock, and then do
anything which Mrs. Fairchild directed: and, first of all, the crape
trimmings were taken from the bonnet and the skirt of the frock; Betty
was then called, and she took them to her kitchen to do what might be
done to restore them. The shoes were sent to John to stretch on a last,
and to brush; and Mrs. Fairchild produced some pieces of bombazine from
her store, and having matched the colours as well as she could, she
carefully pinned the piecing, and gave it to Bessy to sew.

Poor Bessy's fingers had never plied so quickly and so carefully
before. They were put in motion by a feeling of the warmest gratitude
and love for Mrs. Fairchild.

No punishment, no severity, could have produced the effect wrought by
this well-timed kindness of Mrs. Fairchild; and it gave to her the
sweetest hopes of poor Bessy, when she observed how strongly and deeply
she felt that kindness.

They worked and talked till tea-time, and after tea the