ready to call upon the rocks and hills to cover us. We are very
weak and foolish all, Sister Cooper. We can't believe ourselves
too weak, or too mean, or too sinful. To believe this with all our
hearts, and to try to be better with all our strength, is the true
labor of religion. God send it to us, in all its sweetness and
perfection, so that we may fight the good fight without ceasing."

"But if you could only hear of the doings of Mrs. Thackeray,
Brother Cross, you'd see how needful it would be to put forth all
your strength to bring her back to the right path."

"The Lord will know. None of us can hide our evil from the eyes
of the Lord. I will strive with our sister, when I seek her, which
will be this very noon, but it is of yourself, Sister Cooper, and
your daughter Margaret, that I would speak. Where is she that I
see her not?"

This was the question that made our quasi hierophant look up with
a far greater degree of interest than he had felt in the long and
random twattle to which he had been compelled to listen. Where was
she--that fair daughter? He was impatient for the answer. But he
was not long detained in suspense. Next to her neighbors there was
no subject of whom the mother so loved to speak as the daughter,
and the daughter's excellences.

"Ah! she is up-stairs, at her books, as usual. She does so love
them books, Brother Cross, I'm afraid it'll do harm to her health.
She cares for nothing half so well. Morning, noon, and night, all
the same, you find her poring over them; and even when she goes out
to ramble, she must have a book, and she wants no other company.