u shall have it, but not now; for I see, by certain cabalistic signs,
known only to the initiated, that Mary is about to leave us for some of
those same degrading employments, and if you will take a ride with me, I
will relieve you from all danger of contact with them, and will, at the
same time, show you something of our neighborhood."

The proposal was of course accepted. The ride embraced a circuit of ten
miles, in which they passed only two houses. The first of these was
built with an apparent regard to convenience and comfort, and even some
effort at adornment, as manifested in the climbing plants with which the
windows were draperied, and the flowers which adorned the little court
in front. Mr. Grahame stopped before the gateway of this court, and a
woman of coarse, rough exterior, though scrupulously clean, came out to
speak to him, and to urge his alighting and entering the house with his
friend. This Mr. Grahame declined; he had stopped only to inquire after
a sick child, and to express a hope that her husband's hay had turned
out well.

"Dreadful fine," was her reply to the last. "I'm sure we be much
obleeged to you for the seed, and for tellin' Jim how to plant it He
never had sich hay before."

"I'm glad to hear it. Where is Lucy?"

"Oh, she's off to school. Tell Miss Mary she's gittin' to be 'most as
grand a reader as she be. And yet the child's willin' enough to work,
for all."

As the gentlemen rode on, after this interview, Mr. Grahame said, "That
last speech expressed one of the greatest difficulties against which we
had to contend in our efforts to induce our neighbors to give to their
children some of the advantages of education. They were afraid 'larnin'
would make them lazy.' They were of your opinion, that the thinker and
the worker must remain of different classes."

"I was much surprised to hear that woman speak of a school. I should not
think the teacher could find his situation very profitable."

"He is one who has regard to a higher reward than any earthly one. He is
a self-denying Christian missionary, whom I induced to settle in our
neighborhood. He preaches on the Sabbath, in a little church about two
miles from my house, to a congregation of about twenty adults, and twice
that number of children; and during the week, he keeps a school which is
well attended in the summer. Some of his earlier pupils are already
showing, by their more useful and more happy lives, the importance of
th