parents dying in
India whilst I was at an English boarding-school. There I stayed till
I was nineteen, when I went to an old cousin in London, and for three
years I lived a quiet uneventful life in a dull London square, seeing
very little society but that of elderly ladies and a few clergymen.

Suddenly my whole life was changed. My guardian, who had been living
abroad with his wife and family, returned to England, and wished me to
make my home with him. And my cousin was quite willing that it should
be so.

'You are young, my dear,' she said to me, 'and it is only right for you
to mix with young people and see the world. I am getting to prefer
being alone, so I shall not miss you.'

It did not take long to settle matters, and I soon left London for my
guardian's lovely place in Hertfordshire, feeling both shy and curious
at the strange future before me.

But during my stay in London there had been another and perhaps a
greater change in my life than this. I had been brought up
religiously, had said my prayers night and morning, and had read my
Bible regularly once a day, but with these outward forms my religion
ceased.

I suppose all my thoughts were in the world and of the world. I had
been a favourite with my school-fellows, who assured me I had more than
my fair share of beauty, and with all the ignorance and inexperience of
girlhood had planned out glowing descriptions of the brilliant offers
of marriage I would have, and the delightful times before me. I
listened and laughed at them, yet had chafed at the quiet monotony of
my cousin's home, and had longed for a break to come in the dull
routine of our daily life.

Then one night I had attended some mission services that were held in
our church, and for the first time beheld life and death as they are in
reality. For several days I was in great distress of mind, and turned
with real earnestness to my Bible for guidance and comfort. The light
came at last, and I saw how completely Christ had taken my place as a
sinner, and how as a little child I must come and claim the pardon that
He had died to procure, and was now holding out to me as a free gift.

This brought a wonderful joy into my life, and as each day seemed to
draw me nearer to my Saviour, I felt that no life could be monotonous
with all the boundless opportunities of speaking and working for Him.
My craving for a gay, worldly life passed away, and a deep, restful
peace crept into my heart