But if everybody did their best to follow out such a practice, the flowers would be brighter and more plentiful.'

"Yes, that is a sad truth, but we must not dwell on it; rather let us watchfully guard our own conduct, and do all we can to promote universal striving for good by our own individual example, and heedfully take care that no pleasant flower, bud, or blossom, which we have it in our power to strew on our fellow travellers' path, shall be lacking."

Maude sighed. "There are a great many thorns, and the little ones are, I was going to say, most annoying from their incessant recurrence; but at least they are very troublesome.”

"I understand, but the feeling is not worthy of you. There is not enough of honour and self-satisfaction to be obtained in crushing these, as the victory over the greater ones brings with it; but, remember, it is not the greatness of the thing overcome, or its apparent importance to ourselves, but the difficulty we have had in attaining it, the step we have made in our onward path, and farther advance in self-discipline, which is the thing to be considered: and the great and the small trials of life are permitted by the same Providence. We must not murmur at either, bu rather acknowledge His mercy and bounty in these, as in what to us seem more evident blessings. So long as we work as we ought for ourselves, He works for our good; and whether in joy or affliction, trial or release from trial, all shall work together for that end. We should forget our destiny, and neglect our work, if that were too easy and pleasant."

"Perhaps so," returned Maude, thoughtfully; "yes, doubtless it is so, and where such trials are made a proper use of, they must do great good; for I know how difficult it is to carry the thought of our pilgrimage and its object ever along with me, to regulate my conduct as you say, and as I see we should, even in trifles, according to that view of the world, when all

goes on smoothly and regularly.

But then, as re

gards myself, I fear I do not take them as I should do; I am often thrown back rather than helped forward by petty annoyances and troublesome follies, that crowd upon each other like so many buzzing flies, and am tempted to turn aside, and shut myself up like the hermits of old, rather than go on and bravely encounter them."

"The hermit had his troubles, great and small, depend upon it, and so would you yours in your imagin ary sanctum: besides, what a poor soldier is he who deserts his comrades when he meets small obstacles and petty inconveniences arising either from accidents or their ill judgment and mistakes! Few would expect much spirit or endurance from such an one when called on to face a common enemy; would they ?"

Maude blushed. "You are right, dear Mrs. Grey; I wish I could always feel as your conversation makes me. But my old weariness and disgust will come back sometimes, especially when I have to meet and talk to such people as those yesterday; and I feel how much better I should get on if I had not to see and hear such worthless, useless absurdity."

"It is not our province, is it," asked Mrs. Grey, quietly, "to choose out our own way, and arrange all the circumstances that shall surround it ?"

No, but-"

"Then is it not our province to submit quietly to what we find and cannot alter, and rather make the best than the worst of what seems to us wrong and disagreeable therein ?"

Maude hesitated. "But is it necessary to mix and meet with people who are distasteful to you and boring to themselves ?"

"Not unless it comes in your way as a piece of duty and consequence of your position in society; but it certainly would be wrong, I think, to shrink from any little annoyances arising from such intercourse, if,

as in last night's party, your absenting yourself would have been unkind and unnatural."

"What possible pleasure can there be in having anybody with such very opposite tastes and views as mine are to theirs among them?"

"Perhaps quite as much as is given by the presence of more than one half the rest of the company; but that is not the question. You hold a certain position in society from your station and wealth; therefore your example is of proportionably greater importance, and not only extends farther, but is of more weight: and an austere, peculiar mode of life, and refusing to mix occasionally at least with your equals, would nullify the good you might otherwise do. People would be apt to couple a strong sense of duty, and spirit of charity and good works, with moroseness and misanthropy; and shrink from pursuing the higher path of virtue, lest it should be inseparably connected with isolation, and lack of all pleasant social intercourse."

"But you would not think it right for me to lead such a life as are most of theirs ?-party on party, dissipation on dissipation, till they themselves are wearied out, and ready to quarrel with what they nevertheless still pursue as pertinaciously, if not as eagerly, as

ever.

"Unquestionably not; but there is a medium in that as well as all else, and a very good text, which may even be applied here: Use the world as not abusing it.' Join in their pleasures and amusements when they do not interfere with superior duties; but do not make them the business of your life, or let them engross you so as to leave no time (and a much larger portion) for higher things."

"No danger of my being found amid them too often," said Maude, smiling, "I care for them too little; though once, when I first came out, they were pleasant enough, but even then the same routine and incessant following of one on another wearied me. I

wonder how others can take such delight in them as some seem to do."

"They have a lighter spirit and less thoughtful mind than yours, answered Mrs. Grey; "you are gifted as many people are not, and so your temptations and trials are of a very opposite sort from most others: but take care you do not condemn the poor butterflies who annoy you so too much."

"Nay, I only wish to keep out of their way."

"Yes, but that is just what you should not do— altogether, at least. But for the force of education, habit, and example, many, if not all, of these gay, frivolous idlers might have been very different people, and pursued very different lives. You would find much hidden good among them even now, rely upon it, if you had patience and perseverance enough to try. A large number require only better instruction as to what they are, what life is, and what they should be and make their object in it, with the countenance of others treading the same road, to become very opposite characters; as energetic in the pursuit of right and the conquering of self, as they are now in prepa rations for a newly-planned ball, or the acquisition of a higher rank."

66

Well, it may be so; indeed, why should I doubt it, since without you I should have been as far from the right as they, in a different course? so I will even endure, and try to think better of them-for your sake, though, Mrs. Grey," added Maude, with a half mischievous smile.

Something of the old, gay spirit of her childhood was coming back upon her, improved and chastened under the influence of Mrs. Grey's instruction and example, and her own earnest strivings after good.

CHAPTER XII.

"MAUDE, Lady Elizabeth is coming down to me, with a whole posse of ' dear friends,' more than I at all bargained for, and now I want you to come and stay with me, in very pity; for how shall I manage to entertain them all in this dismal weather, and yet have a little time for my nursery ?-and Henry really is not very well. Will you come, dear ?”

Such was Beatrice's address one dreary November morning, as she came hastily into Maude's dressingroom, and putting her arm round her sister's neck, looked very wistfully into her face; for she knew, by experience, that Maude would rather drive, ay, or even walk, six times in a week in wet weather to visit her protegés in the Fens, than give Fairford Lee one day of her company, when such a party of guests as those expected were assembled there.

"Why not write and put them off, if Henry is not well? What ails him, poor little man ?"

"Oh, I don't know; nurse says it is only teething, but it makes me very anxious, and Ralph too, though he laughs at me. But, my dear-no-how could I put her off with such an excuse as that! (and she would find out the real one, even if I sent a false). Why, I should be laughed at all through next season by her coterie; for you know she is not very merciful to those who thwart her plans of pleasure."

"And you are really more willing to be plagued with this woman and her tribe, and allow her to make an hotel of your own house, than encounter the badinage of silly people for being more of a true mother than they are?"

dare

Why, you know, nurse says it is nothing, and I say it is not; and then they would think it so very absurd for a child of eight months old to inter