your young companions, that may wish to join you."

Ellen was delighted with the proposition, and warmly expressed her
thanks, and Agnes's wishes were speedily carried into effect. A small
unoccupied cottage was fitted up as a school-house, to which all the
children of the neighborhood, far and near, daily repaired, while at
night the young people of both sex filled the good-sized room of Mr.
Williamson's dwelling, thirsting for that instruction which Agnes was so
willing to impart. Nor did her efforts end here. Of pastoral guidance
these poor people were equally destitute; as sheep without a shepherd,
they had long "stumbled on the dark mountains of sin and error," but now
each Sabbath morning found them congregated in the school-house, singing
the hymns that some of them had learned in childhood, in their distant
native lands, or listening to the sweet tones of their teacher and
guide, as she explained, by many simple and touching illustrations, the
sacred Word, or offered up the fervent prayer, which from her lips
seemed to come with double power, and caused even the sturdy fishermen's
hearts to melt within them. The afternoon of the sacred day was
especially devoted to the children; classes were formed, over which the
most intelligent members of the community presided, conspicuous among
whom was Ellen, whose naturally quick and clever mind, brought into
contact with one so superior as Agnes, rapidly developed, while her
whole appearance gave indications of how much she had profited by
constant intercourse with her youthful companion.

Ellen's parents were not natives of the land in which she now resided.
They had come from one of the counties of England, when Ellen was little
more than an infant; their original destination being Canada, but having
been wrecked on the Newfoundland coast, and lost nearly all they
possessed, they had not means to travel farther; and while Williamson