with rheumatism, and now her
mind was at times beginning to give way. It was a sad, dreary time for
Elsie. Scarcely any children were able to come to school; and as she
struggled on day after day at what seemed, in her present low state of
health, a barren and uninteresting task, she could not but have visions
of the comfortable home she might have acquired with her hitherto
unseen friends. Not that she ever regretted her decision; indeed Elsie
was scarcely capable of entertaining a selfish thought. Without any
apparent effort she lived for others, and habitually thought of them
before herself. Yet it was a trying time for the poor young
girl--gloomy and disheartening days, succeeded by restless and anxious
nights, and literally not a soul to speak to.

Jim, too, had a bad time of it that winter. So great had been the
ridicule to which he had been subjected in Ballymena, that he was at
length forced to abandon his position. Messrs. Moore accepted his
resignation somewhat coldly. They regretted the loss of a valuable
servant, but Jim had failed to gain the affection of his employers. He
had "kept himself to himself" with such reserve that no one took much
interest in him, though his good business qualities were fully
appreciated. Messrs. Moore gave him a high character for steadiness
and capacity, but they did not seem inclined to go out of their way to
obtain him employment. Poor Jim was much mortified at the calmness
with which his resignation was received. He knew that he had done his
duty to his employers faithfully, and therefore he felt hurt when they
made no effort to retain him. The poor lad had well-nigh to begin
again. He went to Belfast, and there soon obtained employment, but in
a far inferior position to that which he had occupied at Messrs.
Moore's. Moreover, he soon found that in the great capital of the
linen trade there were numbers of young men as capable, as energetic,
and in many cases better educated than himself. It was a harsh and
unpleasant experience, but Jim had the strength and courage to bear up
under it. He still was full of a laudable confidence in himself, and
felt sure that patience and diligence would have their due reward. It
was a hard struggle, however. Trade was bad, and after a few months
the house in which he was just getting established was compelled to
stop payment. For a few weeks Jim was absolutely without employment.
After that time he obtained another situ