from the old Italian devotional pictures. She says our papa taught her
to look at them so as to see more than the mere art and beauty."

"Think how diligently she measures out her day," said Margaret; "getting
up early, to be sure of time for reading her serious books, and working
hard at her tough studies."

"And what I care for still more," said Ethel, "her being bent on
learning plain needlework and doing it for her poor people. She is so
useful amongst the cottagers at Abbotstoke!"

"And a famous little mistress of the house," added Margaret. "When the
old housekeeper went away two years ago, she thought she ought to know
something about the government of the house; so she asked me about
it, and proposed to her father that the new one should come to her for
orders, and that she should pay the wages and have the accounts in
her hands. Mr. Rivers thought it was only a freak, but she has gone on
steadily; and I assure you, she has had some difficulties, for she has
come to me about them. Perhaps Ethel does not believe in them?"

"No, I was only thinking how I should hate ordering those fanciful
dinners for Mr. Rivers. I know what you mean, and how she had
difficulties about sending the maids to church, and in dealing with the
cook, who did harm to the other servants, and yet sent up dinners that
he liked, and how puzzled she was to avoid annoying him. Oh! she has got
into a peck of troubles by making herself manager."

"And had she not been the Meta she is, she would either have fretted, or
thrown it all up, instead of humming briskly through all. She never
was afraid to speak to any one," said Margaret, "that is one thing; I
believe every difficulty makes the spirit bound higher, till she springs
over it, and finds it, as she says, only a pleasure."

"She need not be afraid to speak," said Ethel, "for she always does it
well and winningly. I have seen her give a reproof in so firm and kind a
way, and so bright in the instant of forgiveness."

"Yes," said Margaret, "she does those disagreeable things as well as
Flora does in her way."

"And yet," said Ethel, "doing things well does not seem to be a snare to
her."

"Because," whispered Margaret, "she fulfils more than almost any
one--the--'Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.'"

"Do you know," said Norman suddenly, "the derivation of Margarita?"

"No further than those two pretty meanings, the pearl and the daisy,"
said Ethel.

"It is from the Pe