never noisy or mischievous, and the very apple of her eye; but she died
in the course of a year, and Trevillo was advised to take a cousin of
hers to keep house for him and his boy."

"So, so!" said the teacher when the old woman was silent, having
finished her story. "I had not understood all this thoroughly before.
Perhaps some of Trevillo's relations will come forward, in good time,
and they can be asked to do something for the child."

"Relations!" said the grandmother with a sigh. "That cousin is a
relation, and little enough of comfort he gets from her in the course of
the year."

The schoolmaster rose with difficulty from his seat. "I am going
down-hill, neighbor," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot imagine where
my strength has gone to."

The old woman encouraged him, and said he was still a young man in
comparison with her. But, in truth, it did surprise her to see how
slowly and painfully he walked as he left her.




CHAPTER VII.

A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER.


Many beautiful Sundays followed; and, whenever it was possible, the