d not been eager to take upon herself this burden, but
there was no one else, and it seemed almost as if God had intended her
for the emergency. There was but one thing left, to struggle on as
hopefully as possible, and live down these adverse circumstances.

"Your room's ready, Miss." said her hostess coming back, suddenly, and
only too glad of the opportunity, Clemence bid her good night, and
retired immediately.

"Johnny!" called the sharp voice of Mrs. Brier, at the early morning
light, "up with you, I tell you. Do you hear? For every minute you keep
me, you'll get an extra crack!" and, true to her word, there was
presently a grieved cry from the child, upon whose slender shoulders at
least a dozen blows were showered in rapid succession.

An hour after, when Clemence went down to breakfast, Johnny came in from
the woodshed, with traces of tears on his face.

"What's the matter with the young'un?" asked Mr. Brier, as they took
their places at the table. He seemed to have a little more self-control
than his amiable spouse, and to be annoyed at such exhibitions before a
stranger.

"The same old thing over again," was the reply, "he wouldn't get up in
time to start the fire, and I took him in hand, and I'll do it again, if
he don't get out of the sulks."

"Why, I guess he means to behave," said Mr. Brier, deprecatingly, "it's
natural for boys to be lazy, you know."

"Well, I'll take the laziness out of him. What do you suppose he was
made for, if it was not to work? As if he was goin' to be took care of,
and have me delve away all of my life, washin' and makin' over clothes
for him, and he not work and pay for it. There's the cow to milk, and
take to pasture, the garden to weed, and wood to prepare, besides the
other errands, and how's it all to be done, if you make a fine gentleman
of him. It's askin' enough to send him to school, without keepin' him in
idleness. He was brought here to work, and I intend to see that he does
it."

"Why don't you eat your breakfast, Johnny?" asked her husband.

"Because, I can't," replied the child, tears filling his eyes. "I'm not
hungry."

"But I should think any little boy ought to be, that's been out in this
delightful morning air. Eat your breakfast before you go to school."

"Yes," chimed in Mrs. Brier, "don't leave anything on your plate, or I
shall keep it for your dinner. I never allow anything to be wasted in
this house. Here, take these nice, warmed potatoes, and