embarrassment, before numbers. When Henry related the poor little girl's
story, his language and manner were so unaffected and agreeable, that he
interested every one who heard him in his cause. A subscription was
immediately raised; every body was eager to contribute something to
the child, who had been so ready, for her old grandmother's sake, to
part with her favourite geranium. The lady who superintended the
charity-school agreed to breakfast the next morning at Dr. Campbell's,
and to go from his house to the school precisely at the hour when the
schoolmistress usually set her unfortunate scholars to their extra task
of spinning.

Forester was astonished at all this; he did not consider that
negligence and inhumanity are widely different. The lady-patronesses had,
perhaps, been rather negligent in contenting themselves with seeing the
charity-children _show well_ in procession to Church, and they had not
sufficiently inquired into the conduct of the schoolmistress; but, as
soon as the facts were properly stated, the ladies were eager to exert
themselves, and candidly acknowledged that they had been to blame in
trusting so much to the reports of the superficial visitors, who had
always declared that the school was going on perfectly well.

"More people who are in the wrong," said Dr. Campbell to Forester, "would
be corrected, if some people who are in the right had a little candour
and patience joined to their other virtues."

As the company rose from the supper-table, several young ladies gathered
round the geranium to admire Flora's pretty flower-pot. The black stains,
however, struck every eye. Forester was standing by rather embarrassed.
Flora, with her usual good-nature, refrained from all explanation, though
the exclamations of "How was that done?"--"Who could have done that?"