"Mamma," said Ellen, in a low voice, "wasn't that grandmamma's
ring, which I thought you loved so much?"

"Yes, I did love it, Ellen, but I love you better."

"Oh, Mamma, I am very sorry!" said Ellen.

"You need not be sorry, daughter. Jewels in themselves are the
merest nothings to me; and as for the rest, it doesn't matter;
I can remember my mother without any help from a trinket."

There were tears, however, in Mrs. Montgomery's eyes, that
showed the sacrifice had cost her something; and there were
tears in Ellen's, that told it was not thrown away upon her.

"I am sorry you should know of this," continued Mrs.
Montgomery; "you should not if I could have helped it. But set
your heart quite at rest, Ellen; I assure you this use of my
ring gives me more pleasure on the whole than any other I
could have made of it."

A grateful squeeze of her hand and glance into her face was
Ellen's answer.

Mrs. Montgomery had applied to her husband for the funds
necessary to fit Ellen comfortably for the time they should be
absent; and in answer he had given her a sum barely sufficient
for her mere clothing. Mrs. Montgomery knew him better than to
ask for a further supply, but she resolved to have recourse to
other means to do what she had determined upon. Now that she