many young Christians into _regular_ reading."

On May 26, 1878, F. R. Havergal's stepmother passed away. This event
broke up their Leamington home, and Frances and her sister spent some
time in the quiet of the Mumbles near Swansea. They then went to stay at
a farmhouse in Herefordshire, where, among other forms of work for the
Master, she, ever thoughtful of others, interpreted on her fingers to
the man of the house, who was quite deaf, the sermons she heard. It was
here that she wrote her poem entitled _Zenith_.

The breaking up of the Leamington home she thought afforded a good
opportunity of practically carrying out her dedication of her silver and
gold to God's service. She had hoped to devote _herself_ to missionary
work, but her health prevented this being realised, so she sent off all
her ornaments, including a valuable jewel-case, to the Church Missionary
House in London, to be disposed of for missionary work. "I retain," she
says, "only a brooch or two for daily wear, which are memorials of my
dear parents; also a locket with the only portrait I have of my niece
in heaven, my Evelyn; and her 'two rings' mentioned in _Under the
Surface_. But these I redeem, so that the whole value goes to the Church
Missionary Society. I had no idea I had such a jeweller's shop, nearly
fifty articles are being packed off. I don't think I need tell you I
never packed a box with such pleasure."

Towards the end of the year she joined her sister at the Mumbles. Here
she could be quiet in her "workshop," the walls of which were adorned
with pictures she had arranged herself. On her bookshelf stood her few
choice books; the last she read were, _The Earth's Formation on
Dynamical Principles_, by A.J. Ritchie, _Goodwin's Works, The Life and
Letters of Rev. W. Pennefather, The Upward Gaze_ by her friend Agnes
Giberne, and books by Rev. G. Everard. On her table was her American
typewriter; her desk and table-drawers were all methodically arranged.
It was at her study table that she read her Bible at seven o'clock in
summer and eight in winter, her Hebrew Bible, Greek Testament and
Lexicon being at hand. "Sometimes on bitter cold mornings," says her
sister, "I begged that she would read with her feet comfortably to the
fire, and received the reply, 'But then, Marie, I can't rule my lines
neatly; just see what a find I have got! If one only searches, there are
such extraordinary things in the Bible.'"

On Christmas-day, 1878, her las