night, out of working times,
and I can't be stirring much."

"Then you miss it sadly?" said Ethel.

"Yes, ma'am, it made the day go on well like, and settled a body's mind,
when I fretted for what could not be helped. But I try not to fret after
it now, and Mr. Hazlewood said, if I did my best wherever I was, the
Lord would still join our prayers together."

Mr. Hazlewood was recollected by Mr. Wilmot as an old college friend,
and a correspondence with him fully confirmed the favourable estimate of
the Elwoods, and was decisive in determining that the day-school, with
Alan's ten pounds as salary, and a penny a week from each child, should
be offered to Cherry.

Mr. Hazlewood answered for her sound excellence, and aptitude for
managing little children, though he did not promise genius, such as
should fulfil the requirements of modern days. With these Cocksmoor
could dispense at present; Cherry was humbly gratified, and her parents
delighted with the honour and profit; there was a kitchen which afforded
great facilities, and Richard and his carpenter managed the fitting to
admiration; Margaret devised all manner of useful arrangements, settled
matters with great earnestness, saw Cherry frequently, discussed plans,
and learned the history and character of each child, as thoroughly as
Ethel herself. Mr. Ramsden himself came to the opening of the school,
and said so much of the obligations of Cocksmoor to the young ladies,
that Ethel would not have known which way to look, if Flora had not
kindly borne the brunt of his compliments.

Every one was pleased, except Mrs. Green, who took upon herself to set
about various malicious reports of Cherry Elwood; but nobody cared for
them, except Mrs. Elwood, who flew into such passions, that Ethel was
quite disappointed in her, though not in Cherry, who meekly tried to
silence her mother, begged the young ladies not to be vexed, and showed
a quiet dignity that soon made the shafts of slander fall inoffensively.

All went well; there was a school instead of a hubbub, clean faces
instead of dirty, shining hair instead of wild elf-locks, orderly
children instead of little savages. The order and obedience that Ethel
could not gain in six months, seemed impressed in six days by Cherry;
the neat work made her popular with the mothers, her firm gentleness
won the hearts of the children, and the kitchen was filled not only with
boys and girls from the quarry, but with some little ones f