intended is very particular, and I was anxious to please him."

"All this is very annoying, of course; but still we should always be
ready to make some excuse for the short-comings of others. There is no
telling under how many disadvantages the poor girl may have laboured in
making this vest. She may have had a sick mother, or a father, or
sister to attend to, which constantly interfered with and interrupted
her. She may have been compelled, from this cause, to work through a
greater part of the night, in order to keep her promise to you. Under
such circumstances, even you could hardly wonder if the garment were
not made well, or if it came soiled from her hands. And even you could
hardly find it in your heart to speak unkindly to the poor creature,
much less turn her away angrily, and without the money she had toiled
for so earnestly."

"I didn't think of that," was murmured in a low abstracted voice.

"Who could wonder," continued the old man, "if that unhappy girl,
deprived of the reward of honest labour, and driven angrily away as you
drove her just now, should in despair step aside into ruin, thus
sacrificing herself, body and soul, in order to save from want and
deprivation those she could not sustain by virtuous toil?"

"I didn't think of that," fell quick and in an agitated voice from the
tailor's lips, as, dropping the garment he held in his hand, he hurried
around his counter and left the shop.

Ellen was not tempted as the friend of Mr. Lawson had supposed; but
there are hundreds who, under like circumstances, would have turned
aside. From the shop of the tailor she went slowly homeward; at her
heart was a feeling of utter despondency. She had struggled long, in
weariness and pain, with her lot; but now she felt that the struggle
was over. The hope of the hour had failed, and it seemed to her the
last hope.

When Ellen entered the room where her sister lay, the sight of her
expectant face (for the desire for nourishing, refreshing food had been
stronger than usual with Mary, and her fancy had been dwelling upon the
pleasant repast that was soon to be spread before her) made the task of
communicating the cruel repulse she had received tenfold more painful.
Without uttering a word, she threw herself upon the bed beside her
sister, and, burying her face in a pillow, endeavoured to smother the
sobs that came up convulsively from her bosom. Mary asked no question.
She understood the meaning of Ellen's agit