edge of the rock, at the bottom of which a narrow path had been cut,
barely sufficient to allow the small carts of the country to pass along.
"Here," said Helen to her father, pointing to it, "is the loveliest spot
in the whole dale for a residence. Were I rich, I should like to buy that
house and garden, and live in it with you and mamma; would you like to
live there, papa?" asked she. "Why," returned he, "my dear Helen, I think
you have certainly shown your taste by making choice, in the event of
being rich, of Mr. Elliott's cottage; for I have often thought as you do,
that it is the most beautiful situation in the dale; but I am not sure,
for myself, that I should like to live there, in preference to the snug
comforts of my own little manse. Custom has endeared my present home to
me, and I own that to me it would be a painful sacrifice, to be obliged to
move out of it; even were it to go to a rich home of yours. However, my
dear," continued he, "though I may, with the blessing of God, hope to end
my days in my present peaceful abode, yet, in the natural course of
events, you probably will have to look out, at some future time, for
another place of residence; and should you become rich, which at present
is not very likely, you then may be able to gratify your ambition, if a
knowledge of the world should not produce in you a change of mind, in
regard to this object."

Helen was silent for some minutes, considering what was meant by saying
she might be obliged to change her place of residence; and when her
father's meaning broke upon her mind, the tears stole gently down her
cheeks. Poor girl! it was almost the first painful thought her dear parent
had ever raised in her mind; and it was with great difficulty she
suppressed her emotion. She knew, however, that her kind mother was
extremely anxious, and indeed had spared no pains to teach her the
necessity of controlling her feelings, as she had a great dislike to that
sickly kind of sensibility which many children are in the habit of