-party. What visions of improvement amongst our fellow-creatures we
saw as we wandered about amongst the gooseberry-bushes, Rubens
following at my heels, and eating a double share from the lower
branches, since his mouth had not to be emptied for conversation! We
often got parted when either of us wandered off towards special and
favourite trees. Those bearing long, smooth green gooseberries like
grapes, or the highly-ripened yellows, or the hairy little reds. Then
we shouted bits of gossip, or happy ideas that struck us, to each
other across the garden. And full of youth and hopefulness, in the
sunshine of these summer Sundays, we gave ourselves credit for
clear-sightedness in all our opinions, and promised ourselves success
for every plan, and gratitude from all our proteges.

Mr. Andrewes had started a Sunday School with great success (Sunday
Schools were novelties then), and Mr. Clerke was a teacher. At last,
to my great delight, I was allowed to take the youngest class, and to
teach them their letters and some of the Catechism.

About this time I firmly resolved to be a parson when I grew up. My
great practical difficulty on this head was that I must, of course,
live at Dacrefield, and yet I could not be the Rector. My final
decision I announced to Mr. Andrewes.

"Mr. Clerke and I will always be curates, and work under you."

On which the tutor would sigh, and say, "I wish it could be so, Regie,
for I do not think I shall ever like any other place, or church, or
people so well again."

At this time my alms-box was well filled, thanks to the liberality of
Mr. Clerke. He now taxed his small income as I taxed my pocket-money
(a very different matter!), and though I am sure he must sometimes
have been inconveniently poor, he never failed to put by his share of
our charitable store.

Some brooding over the matter led me to say to him one Sunday, "You
and I, sir, are like the widow and the other people in the lesson
to-day: I put into the box out of my pocket-money, and you out of your
living."

The tutor blushed painfully; partly, I think, at my accurate
comprehension of the difference between our worldly lots, and partly
in sheer modesty at my realizing the measure of his self-sacrifice.

When first he began to contribute, he always kept back a certain sum,
which he as regularly sent away, to whom I never knew. He briefly
explained, "It is for a good object." But at last a day came when he
announced, "I no lo