e warm approbation of both, and found in the latter an
excellent adviser and assistant.

Mrs. Arnold had a widowed sister who was in the habit of receiving, as
boarders, a few young ladies. Gertrude did not know this lady
personally, but had heard her warmly praised; and she indulged the hope
that through her friend, the minister's wife, she might obtain with her
an agreeable and not too expensive residence. In this she was not
disappointed. Mrs. Warren had fortunately vacant a large front chamber;
and, Mrs. Arnold having recommended Gertrude in the warmest manner,
suitable terms were agreed upon, and the room placed at her disposal.
Mrs. Sullivan had bequeathed to her all her furniture, and Mrs. Arnold
and her daughters insisted that, in consideration of her recent fatigue
and bereavement, she should attend only to her school duties, and leave
to them the furnishing of her room with such articles as she preferred
to have placed there, and superintended the packing away of all other
movables; for Gertrude was unwilling that anything should be sold. On
entering the dining-room the first evening after she took up her
residence at Mrs. Warren's, she expected to meet only strangers at the
tea-table, but was agreeably disappointed at the sight of Fanny Bruce,
who, left in Boston while her mother and brother were spending the
winter in travelling, had now been several weeks an inmate of Mrs.
Warren's house. Fanny was a school-girl, twelve or thirteen years of
age; a near neighbour to Gertrude, had been in the habit of seeing her
often at Mr. Graham's, and had sometimes begged flowers from her,
borrowed books, and obtained assistance in her fancy-work. She admired
Gertrude much; had hailed with delight the prospect of knowing her
better, as she hoped to do at Mrs. Warren's; and when she met the gaze
of her large, dark eyes, and saw a smile of pleasure overspread her
countenance at the sight of a familiar face, she came forward to shake
hands, and beg that Miss Flint would sit next her at the table.

Fanny Bruce was a girl of good disposition and warm heart, but she had
been much neglected by her mother, whose pride was in her son, the same
Ben of whom we have previously spoken. She had often been left behind in
some boarding-house, while her pleasure-loving mother and indolent
brother passed their time in journeying; and had not always been so
fortunately situated as she was at present.

Gertrude had not been long at Mrs. Wa