te, and cared but little whether one
were rich or poor if she liked them. From the first she had been
interested in Mary, and now winding her arms about her neck, and
kissing away her tears, she promised to love her, and to be to her as
true and faithful a friend as Jenny. This promise, which was never
broken, was of great benefit to Mary, drawing to her side many of the
best girls in school, who soon learned to love her for herself, and
not because the wealthy Miss Selden seemed so fond of her.

Neither Ida nor Rose were as happy in school, as Mary and Jenny. Both
of them fretted about the rules, which they were obliged to observe,
and both of them disliked and dreaded their portion of the work. Ida,
however, was happier than Rose, for she was fonder of study, and one
day when particularly interested in her lessons, she said to Mary,
that she believed she should be tolerably contented, were it not for
the everlasting washing.

Looking up a moment after, she saw that Mary had disappeared. But she
soon returned, exclaiming, "I've fixed it. It's all right. I told her
I was a great deal stronger than you, that I was used to washing, and
you were not, and that it made your side ache; so she consented to
have us exchange, and after this you are to dust for me, and I am to
wash for you."

Ida disliked washing so much, that she raised no very strong
objections to Mary's plan, and then when she found how great a
kindness had really been shown her, she tried hard to think of some
way in which to repay it. At last, George Moreland, to whom she had
written upon the subject, suggested something which met her views
exactly. Both Ida and her aunt had told George about Mary, and
without hinting that he knew her, he immediately commenced making
minute inquiries concerning her, of Ida, who communicated them to
Mary, wondering why she always blushed so deeply, and tried to change
the conversation. In reply to the letter in which Ida had told him of
Mary's kindness, George wrote, "You say Miss Howard is very fond of
music, and that there is no teacher connected with the institution.
Now why not give her lessons yourself? You can do it as well as not,
and it will be a good way of showing your gratitude."

Without waiting to read farther, Ida ran in quest of Mary, to whom she
told what George had written. "You don't know," said she, "how much
George asks about you. I never saw him so much interested in any one
before, and half the girl