With the help of
smiling Affection she placed this across the stream.

"This plank, dear child," said calm, stately Duty, "was cut from the
tree of Patience, and small as it seems, can well support your weight.
Boldly venture upon it; the stream runs fast to-day, you are no longer
able to ford it, but on the plank of Patience you safely can pass
across."

Giddy and tired as she felt, Nelly instantly obeyed the voice of Duty,
and placed her foot on the plank. Duty leant forward, and held out her
firm hand to aid her, and soon the trembling child and her wearisome
burden were safe on the bank nearest to the cottages of Head.

"Oh, I am so glad to be well over!" exclaimed Nelly, and with exceeding
pleasure she looked up in the face of Duty, and smiled.

"And now sit down and rest yourself, dear one," said Affection,
spreading a thick mantle on the grass, that its dampness might not hurt
the child.

"May I?" asked Nelly timidly of Duty.

The beauteous maiden bowed her head in assent. There was no sternness
now in her look; Duty is no enemy to innocent enjoyment--rather should
we say that there is no real enjoyment but that which is found by those
who take Duty for their guide and their friend.

"See, here is refreshment for you," said Affection, placing before the
wearied child a rich cluster of delicious fruit. How sweet is such
refreshment given by the hand of Affection, how doubly sweet after
efforts made at the call of Duty!

Never, perhaps, had Nelly Desley passed a happier hour than she did now
on the bank of that stream which she had crossed with such trouble and
fear. She now looked with pleasure at the waves as they rushed so
rapidly by her.

One thought only disturbed little Nelly. "Poor Dick! I wish that I knew
of his safety," said she.

"He is safe enough," replied Duty; "but there, as you may see, lie his
three grates in the mud of the stream."

"If he had only had the plank of Patience," exclaimed Nelly.

"It was offered to him as well as to you," said Duty with a graver air;
"and I thought at first that your brother would have gladly accepted my
offer. But there came to this shore of the brook a dark, ill-favoured
lad--"

"It must have been Pride!" exclaimed Nelly, who knew too well her
brother's companion.

"This Pride," continued Duty, "began to taunt and to scoff. 'Holloa!' he
shouted across the stream, 'will a genius like you stoop to be directed
by a woman! Duty is for slaves, and Pati