for her long walk, for she was not a strong child; but she had a willing spirit, and she kept repeating to herself verses of the Psalms that her mother had taught her, and that she had always heard her say had comforted her when she felt sad and desponding; and the mother had taken care that her child's knowledge of the Bible (such parts as were suited to her understanding) should be always carefully attended to, and short texts and verses of the Psalms had been instilled into her from her earliest childhood; and as she saw her mother, whom she so tenderly loved, always turning to the Word of God for comfort in all her cares and troubles, so did Fanny, in her childish way, always strive to do the same; and you would, my dear, have been quite surprised to hear how much she knew; and what she did know her mother had taken good care she should understand, for she was quite well aware that the mere repetition of the good words could avail but little. She had got about half way, and her arm quite ached with the heavy basket, and her feet felt very hot and tired, for she had left the nice cool green grass, and was toiling along the road, when presently she fell in with one of her schoolfellows, a strong, hearty, good-natured girl, going the same road as herself. Seeing how tired she was, the girl very good-naturedly offered to carry her basket a bit, and that was a great help;

and by degrees Fanny felt encouraged to tell her her story.

Letitia Hill was a kind-hearted girl, and listened to her most attentively; and then said she thought she could help her to get rid of some of her nosegays; for that the lady where her mother worked was going to have a children's feast that very day, and the nurse had asked her, when she was up at the house that very morning, if she knew where her lady could get some nosegays for the little girls.

Fanny's heart beat, and she coloured up at this news. The lady lived at the outskirts of the town, and Letitia said she would go with her; "and who knows," she added, "but what you may sell more than the flowers." So on they walked, Fanny feeling quite cheered and comforted, till they came to the lady's house, which was a very pretty one, situated in a large green field, where they were haymaking; and there were some fine old trees scattered about the field. The fresh sweet smell of the new-made hay seemed so pleasant to Fanny, and it was so nice to walk there coming off the dusty road. They had not got far into the field, when they saw under the shade of one of the trees a very merry party of children, talking and laughing; some tossing the hay about with all the glee of children in a perfect state of freedom from all restraint, for it was a

C

holyday; and as long as it was nothing that could hurt them, they were allowed to do just what they liked: some of the more sedate ones were making up bunches of brightcoloured ribbons, to be fastened among the evergreens that were to decorate the tent where they were to dine in the evening, and the whole party seemed as happy as possible. Fanny looked on much amused, and thought how much she should enjoy such a game of play; but very soon her thoughts

returned to her own purpose in being there, and she was asking Letitia what she had best do, when a good-natured looking lady, stand

ing close by, beckoned her to come near, which she did, feeling very shy as she got close to them, to see so many bright eager eyes fastened upon her; but the lady encouraged her, praised the nosegays, asked her if she had tied them up, where she lived, and a great many other questions: meanwhile all the children crowded round her basket, and were in a great state of delight at the pretty nosegays, all wanting to choose their own, and all thinking that those of their companions were not to compare to their own favourite. The lady said she would take all the nosegays, and asked how much she was to give? Fanny modestly said two shillings; but the lady put half-a-crown into her hand, and told her she might want some more, and as she knew where she lived she would send to her. Fanny curtsied to all the party, and walked away feeling very happy and very grateful to Letitia for having put her in the way of earning so much. She thought, as she went across the fields to the town, that the trees looked so much greener and fresher, and the sky so much. brighter than before; and she was sure she did not feel nearly so tired, and that her arm was quite rested.

When Fanny arrived in the town, and made her way across the market-place, intending to take her stand near the same old woman, it was shortly very evident that

things did not prosper quite so well. There came on a heavy shower, which seemed to promise a wet evening, and a great many of the smarter people, who would have been most likely to prove customers, were frightened away, and set off on their return home. She protected her basket as well as she could, and stood very patiently waiting for the rain to clear up, but it did not do so; and by degrees the market-place was cleared of all those whom business did not oblige to remain, and she began to think of returning home with rather a heavy heart; she did sell two of her pincushions just as she was leaving the town, but that was all; and by the time she reached her mother's cottage she felt thoroughly dispirited, and very cold and wet her mother saw at once that things had not gone so well, but she wisely forbore to make any remark, leaving it to Fanny to tell her all about it in her own good time; but she got her some dry things, made her a nice warm cup of tea, and her brother took her basket, and put the contents all nicely by in a drawer ready for another day. He longed to hear what his sister had done, but he was a very good-natured little fellow, and so, as he saw she looked rather sad, he would not say anything for fear of vexing her. By the time she had had her tea she seemed to be got more comfortable, and then she told them about the nosegays, and the good