y reading to them a short
paper in a little book upon the spirit of the whole Sunday, asking them
in turn to look out and read the texts referred to, which Margaret and
Amy did with a rapidity that astonished Jessie.

Once she lost the thread in wondering what was looking out of a
half-opened basket; but she caught herself up, and found that there was
infinitely more connection and meaning in the passages appointed for the
Sunday than she had ever guessed.

Then Miss Manners asked whether they had any questions to ask; Margaret
had one or two, which sounded very hard to Jessie, and she would never
have thought of. It was the Fifth Sunday in Lent for which they were
preparing, and they were respecting the unusually long and difficult
Gospel for the day. Margaret wanted to know whether the words "By whom
do your sons cast them out?" really meant that devils were actually cast
out by the Jews. Miss Manners thought they were, and she looked out, and
showed Margaret, a very curious account of the seal and sacred words of
exorcism which were supposed to come from Solomon; but she advised the
teachers not to dwell much on this branch of the subject, but to draw
out most the portion about the strong man armed, and the warning against
the return of Satan to the soul whence he had been once driven out.

Then Jessie observed that she had not thought such things happened in
these days, and Miss Manners had to explain to her how the possession
then permitted was here treated as an allegory to all times, of the
evil once cast off returning again if not resolutely excluded by prayer
and a strong purpose blessed by the grace of God.

It soon became plain to Jessie that she was ignorant of much which the
others knew quite well, and when the Church bell began to chime, and all
rose to go, she obtained a moment in which to say, with something like a
tear in her eye--

"Indeed, Miss Manners, I ought not to have undertaken it. I see I am not
fit to teach."

"I do not think you can tell without a longer trial," was the answer,
kindly given.

"But I am so ignorant!" said Jessie. "There is so much in these things
that I never thought of, and the others seem to know all about it."

"It has been their regular Sunday school round for years," said Miss
Manners, "so it would be strange if they did not. But perhaps you will
do all the better for coming to it fresh; and I am sure you are willing
to take pains and prepare."

"Yes," said Jes