down the river on which Ashleigh was situated, so that he could not
see his family as often as before. They were now settled in a small,
rather dilapidated tenement, with a potato patch and pig-sty; and Mrs.
Connor, who was an energetic woman, had already succeeded in making
her family almost independent of the earnings which Michael Connor too
often spent in the public-house. This being the case, she had no
scruples in providing for her own children, without much consideration
for Nelly; so that the poor child was a forlorn-looking object when
Miss Preston had found her hovering wistfully about, attracted by the
sight of the children streaming towards the church, and had induced
her to come, for the first time in her life, into a Sunday school.

And now, with these three girls before her, differing so much in
circumstances and culture, it was no wonder that Miss Preston should
feel it a matter for earnest consideration what parting words she
should say, which, even if unappreciated at the time, might
afterwards come back to their minds, associated with the remembrance
of a teacher they had loved, to help them in the conflict between good
and evil which must have its place in their future lives. But she felt
she could not possibly do better, in bidding farewell to her young
pupils, than to direct them to Him who would never leave nor forsake
them,--who was nearer, wiser, tenderer, than any earthly friend,--who,
if they would trust themselves to Him, would guide them into all
truth, and in His own way of peace.

She had brought them each, as a little parting remembrancer, a pretty
gift-card, bearing on one side the illuminated motto, "LOOKING UNTO
JESUS," a text the blessed influence of which she herself had long
experimentally known. And in words so simple as for the most part to
reach even little Nelly's comprehension, she spoke earnestly of the