bright and cheerful little cottage the
dismal place in which, at her first visit, Effie had shed some very
bitter tears.

Aunt Elsie did not leave them. She quite resented the idea of such a
thing being possible. She had little faith in the likelihood of the
children being kept together and clothed and fed by the unassisted
efforts of the sisters, and assumed the direction of affairs in the new
home, as she had always done in the old. Effie's words with regard to
her proved true. She was far easier to do with when she found herself
in a position to give rather than to receive assistance. Her income was
not large. Indeed, it was so small that those who have never been
driven to bitter straits might smile at her idea of a competence. It
would have barely kept her from want, in any circumstances; but joined
to Effie's earnings it gave promise of many comforts in their humble
home. So ample did their means seem to them at first, that they would
fain have persuaded each other that there need be no separation--that
all might linger under the shelter of the lowly roof. But it could not
be. Annie and Sarah both refused to eat bread of their sister's
winning, when there was not work enough to occupy them at home; and
before they had been settled many weeks, they began to think of looking
for situations elsewhere.

At first they both proposed to leave; but this Effie could not be
prevailed upon to consider right. Helpless as Aunt Elsie was and seemed
likely to continue, there was far more to do in their little household,
limited as their means were, than it was possible for Christie to do
well. The winter was coming, already the mornings were growing short.
She herself could do little at home without neglecting her school; and
her school must not be neglected. And besides, though Effie did not say
much about it, she felt that almost any other discipline would be better
for her nervous, excitable sister, than that she would be likely to
experience with none to stand between her and the peculiar rigour of
Aunt Elsie's system of training. So she would not hear of both Annie
and Sarah leaving them. Indeed, she constantly entreated, whenever the
matter was discussed, that neither of them should go till winter was
over. There was no fear but that the way would be opened before them.
In the meantime, they might wait patiently at home.

And the way was opened far sooner than they had hoped or than Effie
desired. A lad