ssession; and so I stepped in to ask
the price. It was just two dollars.

"'Cheap enough,' thought I. And this very cheapness was a further
temptation.

"So I turned out the contents of my pockets, counted them over, and
found the amount to be two dollars and a quarter.

"'I guess I'll take it,' said I, laying the money on the
shopkeeper's counter.

"'Better have paid Mrs. Blake.' This thought crossed my mind, an
hour afterwards, by which time, the little ornament had lost its
power of pleasing. 'So much would at least have been saved.'

"I was leaving the table, after tea, on the evening that followed,
when the waiter said to me--

"'Mrs. Blake is at the door, and wishes to see you.'

"I felt worried at hearing this; for there was no change in my
pockets, and the poor washerwoman, had, of course, come for her
money.

"'She's in a great hurry,' I muttered to myself as I descended to
the door.

"'You'll have to wait until you bring home my clothes next week,
Mrs. Blake.' I havn't any change this evening.'

"The expression of the poor woman's face, as she turned slowly away,
without speaking, rather softened my feelings.

"'I'm sorry,' said I--'but, it can't be helped now. I wish you had
said, this morning, that you wanted money. I could have paid you
then.'

"She paused, and turned partly towards me as I said this. Then she
moved off, with something so sad in her manner, that I was touched,
sensibly.

"'I ought to have paid her this morning when I had the change about
me. And I wish I had done so. Why didn't she ask for her money if
she wanted it so badly.'

"I felt, of coarse, rather ill at ease. A little while afterwards, I
met the lady with whom I was boarding.

"'Do you know anything about this Mrs. Blake, who washes for me?' I
enquired.

"'Not much; except that she is very poor, and has three children to
feed and clothe. And what is worst of all, she is in bad health. I
think she told me this morning, that one of her little ones was very
sick.'

"I was smitten with a feeling of self-condemnation, and soon after
left the room. It was too late to remedy the evil, for I had only a
sixpence in my pocket; and, moreover, I did not know where to find
Mrs. Blake. Having purposed to make a call upon some young ladies
that evening, I now went up into my room to dress. Upon my bed lay
the spotless linen brought home by Mrs. Blake in the morning. The
sight of it rebuked me; and I had to conquer, with s