shonesty and
extravagance of her household were beginning to be noticed outside
Barley Wood. Although her own eyes were blinded as to the cause, she
felt the results keenly.

This first day at Barley Wood was the beginning of a new life to Joyce.
While Charlotte in her secret heart found the country dull, and almost
wished herself back in Wells, a new world opened for Joyce. Mrs. More
would recite passages from Milton's "Paradise Lost," and fill Joyce's
mind with the beauties of the Garden of Eden, till she had thoughts for
nothing else. Mrs. More told her she reminded her of a great man who on
reading Milton for the first time, said he forgot that there was anyone
else in the world but himself and Adam and Eve!

Charlotte dawdled over a bit of fancy work, which her aunt had hoped
would awake Mrs. More's admiration, but as it met with but faint praise,
Charlotte felt herself aggrieved, and made various uncomplimentary
remarks, in private, upon the coarse aprons which Miss Frowde produced
as needlework which was _really_ wanted. But the stories of London life
pleased Charlotte, and she would wake up to interest when Mrs. More
described the grand routs where the elite of London were gathered; of
Johnson and his witty speeches; of Garrick, and of the continual round
of gaiety which she had led, till she awoke from a dream to realities,
and from those vanities to serve the living God.

The Bible meeting at Wrington was the great event of the year, and the
village was in holiday trim. The bells rang from the noble church tower;
the school children, in clean white tippets and blue cotton frocks,
walked in procession to Barley Wood, where tea was provided for parents
and teachers, and several of those who had come to the meeting addressed
them in simple words. Sir Thomas Acland had brought with him the Bishop
of Ohio, and the good old man looked upon the scene before him, with
eyes dim with emotion. Here in this Somersetshire village, lying under
the range of low hills, had the influence of a good woman been felt. She
had borne bitter scoffs and rudeness from her enemies; she had been
laughed at even by her friends, and yet she had carried the banner of
the Lord onward, and now in her old age the victory was won. The people
loved her, and though there were malcontents in Wrington, as in every
other place, still the feeling for the good work the four sisters had
done, was stronger than that which was against it, and the Bible