"Oh yes, dear mother, I'll bind my hair when you bid me do it and
really these buds do credit to the makers. I wonder whether they
cost them as dear in health as lace does," she added, taking off the
flowers and examining them with a grave sad look.

"I chose white roses," proceeded the well-pleased mother, "because
I thought they would suit either of the silks you have now, though
I own I should like to see you in another white muslin."

"I have done with white muslin," said Rachel, rousing from her
reverie. "It is an affectation of girlish simplicity not becoming
at our age."

"Oh Rachel!" thought Grace in despair; but to her great relief in at
that moment filed the five maids, the coachman, and butler, and the
mother began to read prayers.

Breakfast over, Rachel gathered up her various gifts, and betook
herself to a room on the ground floor with all the appliances of an
ancient schoolroom. Rather dreamily she took out a number of copy-
books, and began to write copies in them in large text hand.

"And this is all I am doing for my fellow-creatures," she muttered
half aloud. "One class of half-grown lads, and those grudged to me!
Here is the world around one mass of misery and evil! Not a paper do
I take up but I see something about wretchedness and crime, and here
I sit with health, strength, and knowledge, and able to do nothing,
nothing--at the risk of breaking my mother's heart! I have pottered
about cottages and taught at schools in the dilettante way of the
young lady who thinks it her duty to be charitable; and I am told