ually interested with you in the
college, which I look upon as the nursing mother of those who will do
much to forward the great cause."

After some further conversation on the subject, Mr and Mrs Lerew took
their departure, Dr Catton again promising that Clara's fortune should
be appropriated as her father confessor desired. Clara had, in the
meantime, been introduced to the Mother Eldress, a pleasant, fair lady
of about forty, who took her round the establishment. The chapel was
first visited. Over the high altar stood the crucifix, with paintings
of the Virgin Mary on one side, and that of Saint John on the other, and
on it were the usual candlesticks with large wax candles and vases of
flowers; while the walls were adorned with other paintings illustrating
the lives of various saints, in which monks and nuns frequently
appeared. The Mother Eldress drew aside a curtain which hung across a
small side-chapel, when Clara saw, with considerable astonishment, the
figure of the Virgin, richly dressed, standing on a small altar with
candles burning on it, and also vases of flowers, with which the whole
of the chapel was decked. The Mother Eldress bowed and crossed herself.

"You should do as I do," she said, turning to Clara; "the Blessed Virgin
demands our most devoted love and adoration; we can never do her honour
enough."

"I thought," observed Clara, "that as Protestants we did not worship the
Virgin."

"Let me entreat you, my child, never to utter that odious word
Protestant," exclaimed the Mother Eldress. "We are Catholics of the
Anglican Church; we do not worship the Virgin either; but we love to do
her honour."

Clara was puzzled; but thought it better just then to ask no further
questions. The refectory and other public rooms were next visited; they
were neat and scrupulously clean, but were destitute of every article of
luxury, or which might conduce to comfort--no sofas, no easy arm-chairs
were found in them.

"You will now like to see the cells," said the Mother Eldress, as she
led the way upstairs. Passing along a gallery, she opened a door, and
exhibited a long narrow room containing a camp-bedstead, covered by a
white quilt, a small table and a chair, and in one corner a desk with a
Bible and a few books of devotion on it, as also a lamp, and above it a
picture of the crucifixion. It was lighted by a small, deep, oriel
window, with a broad sill, on which were arranged some flower-pots,
sweet-