this summer; you must soon come home
and cheer her."

CHAPTER V.

As late, engaged by fancy's dream,
I lay beside a rapid stream,
I saw my first come gliding by,
Its airy form soon caught my eye;
Its texture frail, and colour various,
Like human hopes, and life precarious.
Sudden, my second caught my ear,
And filled my soul with constant fear;
I quickly rose, and home I ran,
My whole was hissing in the pan.--Riddle.

Flora revised the letter to the principal, and the Ladies' Committee
approved, after having proposed seven amendments, all of which Flora
caused to topple over by their own weakness.

After interval sufficient to render the nine ladies very anxious, the
principal wrote from Scotland, where he was spending the Long Vacation,
and informed them that their request should be laid before the next
college meeting.

After the committee had sat upon this letter, the two sisters walked
home in much greater harmony than after the former meeting. Etheldred
had recovered her candour, and was willing to own that it was not art,
but good sense, that gave her sister so much ascendancy. She began to be
hopeful, and to declare that Flora might yet do something even with the
ladies. Flora was gratified by the approval that no one in the house
could help valuing; "Positively," said Flora, "I believe I may in time.
You see there are different ways of acting, as an authority, or as an
equal."

"The authority can move from without, the equal must from within," said
Ethel.

"Just so. We must circumvent their prejudices, instead of trying to beat
them down."

"If you only could have the proper catechising restored!"

"Wait; you will see. Let me feel my ground."

"Or if we could only abdicate into the hands of the rightful power!"

"The rightful power would not be much obliged to you."

"That is the worst of it," said Ethel. "It is sad to hear the sick
people say that Dr. May is more to them than any parson; it shows that
they have so entirely lost the notion of what their clergyman should
be."

"Dr. May is the man most looked up to in this town," said Flora, "and
that gives weight to us in the committee, but it is all in the using."

"Yes," said Ethel hesitatingly.

"You see, we have the prestige of better birth, and better education,
as well as of having the chief property in the town, and of being the
largest subscribers, added to his personal c