eased the tendency she already had to a sense of
her own superiority, had it not been that the things in which she was
deficient were precisely those which were of most consequence at Mrs.
Wilmot's establishment, being more showy, and therefore more easily
appreciated. Her love of approbation made her very anxious to excel in
what was valued by those around her; and in her desire to make up lost
ground, she happily escaped an undue sense of superiority in what was
most valuable,--a proficiency which was the result chiefly of her
father's care.

Fond of study for its own sake, she entered on her classwork with all
the zest of one who had never known school-life before, and who was
determined to make the most of her opportunities; and her enjoyment of
her studies and the stimulus of contest to a great extent counteracted
the uncongeniality of her new home, as well as the homesick feeling
which came over her when a letter from Mrs. Steele or Fred revived old
and happy associations.

XI.

_A Start in Life._

"His path in life was lowly,
He was a working man;
Who knows the poor man's trials
So well as Jesus can?"

At Mill Bank Farm things were going on much as when Nelly Connor had
become an inmate there. Under the influence of her watchword, Bessie
was making good headway against her faults of idleness and
carelessness, and her mother declared she was growing a "real comfort"
to her. Under her teaching Nelly's reading had progressed so well,
that she could spell out very creditably a chapter in the New
Testament. Jenny and Jack had also been taught their letters; and
though they were not to go to Sunday school till the spring, they had
already learned from Bessie a good deal of Bible knowledge. Sam was
not nearly so often a truant now, that he knew his mother's watchful
eye was ready to discover any omission in attending Sunday school; and
the boys were gradually growing in respect for things on which they
could see their mother now placed so much importance.

Nelly had never before known so much of comfort and happiness. She was
treated as one of the family, and the easy tasks which fell to her lot
were labours of love and gratitude. Even the irksome sewing, by dint
of patiently struggling with her constitutional restlessness, was
growing almost a pleasure, from her being able to do it so much
better. In the letters which Bessie occasionally received from Lucy,
there was always a kind