and made even No. 15 look like home.

When she told, sometimes gayly, sometimes with burning, bursting
tears, the tale of her day's efforts and day's failures, it was
always comfort to feel Johanna's hand on her hair Johanna's voice
whispering over her, "Never mind, my child, all will come right in
time All happens for good."

And the face, withered and worn, yet calm as a summer sea, full of
the "peace which passeth all understanding," was a living comment on
the truth of these words.

Another comfort Hilary had--Elizabeth.--During her long days of
absence, wandering from one end of London to the other, after
advertisements that she had answered, or governess institutions that
she had applied to the domestic affairs fell almost entirely into the
hands of Elizabeth. It was she who bought in, and kept a jealous eye,
not unneeded, over provisions; she who cooked and waited, and
sometimes even put a helping hand, coarse, but willing, into the
family sewing and mending. This had now become so vital a necessity
that it was fortunate Miss Leaf had no other occupation, and Miss
Selina no other entertainment, than stitch, stitch, stitch, at the
ever-beginning, never-ending wardrobe wants which assail decent
poverty every where, especially in London.

"Clothes seem to wear out frightfully fast," said Hilary one day,
when she was putting on her oldest gown, to suit a damp, foggy day,
when the streets were slippery with the mud of settled rain.

"I saw such beautiful merino dresses in a shop in Southampton Row,"