honest workers, day in and
day out, week in and week out. This honest work never has been, never
will be, done where time is frittered away, where rules are broken,
where those numberless little deceits which I am grieved to say many a
girl who should be far above them sometimes practises; it requires a
noble character to do noble work.

"I am desirous, particularly so, to impress upon you all to-day, as it
is the beginning of our longest, hardest, and most important term of
the year, the necessity for every one of you individually doing her
best as a scholar, as a lady, and, let me add, what I wish I could
feel sure you would strive for beyond all other claims, as a
Christian. A true Christian is as good a scholar as her natural
abilities allow, a lady she must be everywhere, and at every time.

"In closing, I have one request to make of you; you will see, while it
does not seem to bear immediately upon what I have been saying, there
is a close connection.

"I want to turn your attention specially to women's work in this
nineteenth century. When you learn in a more extended manner than I
have been able to give you this morning, what they have done, what
they are doing, and what they expect to do, you will realize more
fully your share in the life before you.

"In order that you may do this, at some not distant time, we will all
meet in the parlor, and I shall expect every one of you to bring to me
some account of this work. From two hundred of you, we ought to gather
enough to make us not only proud of being women, but ambitious to be
among the leaders of our sex."

* * * * *

Then she dismissed the school.

CHAPTER XXX.

DECEIT.

Miss Ashton's talk had an excellent influence upon the school. Even
the wealthy girls felt there was something worth living for but
society and fashion. A large proportion of the pupils were from
families in moderate circumstances; to them avenues of access to power
and influence were opened. To the poor, of whom there were not a few,
help in its best sense was offered in ways that faithful diligence
would make their own.

In just so far as Miss Ashton had made these two things, faithfulness
and diligence, the ground-work of all success, she had given the true
character to her school; and as the work of the term began with this
demand upon the attention of the pupils, there was a fair prospect of
its being the best of the year.