n her arms,
"that would be a sad fate indeed, but it need not be yours; there are many
walks of usefulness still open to you; literature, several of the arts and
sciences, music, painting, authorship; to say nothing of needle work both
plain and fancy. The first thing will be a good education in the ordinary
acceptation of the term--and that you can take as easily as one who has
use of all her limbs. Books and masters shall be at your command, and when
you have decided to what employment you will especially devote yourself,
every facility shall be given you for perfecting yourself in it."

"O Cousin Elsie," cried the girl, her eyes shining, "do you think I could
ever write books, or paint pictures? I mean such as would be really worth
the doing; such as would make Dick proud of me and perhaps give me money
to help him with; because you know the poor fellow must make his own way
in the world."

"I scarcely know how to answer that question," Elsie said, smiling at her
sudden enthusiasm, "but I do know that patience and perseverance will do
wonders, and if you practice them faithfully, it will not surprise me to
see you some day turn out a great author or artist.

"But don't fret because Dick has not a fortune to begin with. Our very
noblest and most successful men have been those who had to win their way
by dint of hard and determined struggling with early disadvantages. 'Young
trees root the faster for shaking!'" she added with a smile.

"Oh then Dick will succeed, I know, dear, noble fellow!" cried Molly
flushing with sisterly pride.

From that time she took heart and though there were occasional returns of
despondency and gloom she strove to banish them and was upon the whole,
brave, cheerful and energetic in carrying out the plans her cousin had
suggested.

CHAPTER SIXTEENTH.

"It is as if the night should shade noonday,
Or that the sun was here, but forced away;
And we were left, under that hemisphere,
Where we must feel it dark for half a year."
--BEN. JOHNSON.

Since the events recorded in our last chapter, six years have rolled their
swift, though noiseless round, ere we look in upon our friends again; six
years bringing such changes as they must;--growth and development to the
very young, a richer maturity, a riper experience to those who had already
attained to adult life, and to the aged, increasing infirmities, reminding
them that their rac