CHAPTER XII.

THE VILLAGE SCHOOL.

I TOOK a walk this evening to the school, and arrived there about four o'clock. I first went into Mrs. Tristram's schoolroom, where I found the excellent woman, sitting with her young pupils around her, all busily engaged with their needles. The little creatures were dressed more decently than might have been expected, considering the condition of many of their parents. They all rose up as I entered, and I made as low a bow to them as I would have made to a drawing-room of court beauties, for I consider that females are always respectable when neat, modest, and found in their duty. "And now, my good Mrs. Tristram," I said, "sit down, and let me also have a chair; don't let me disturb work."

"Sir," answered Mrs. Tristram, "we always spend our last hour in the evening in reading a story; I am generally the reader; then we have a prayer; after which every body goes home. This is what we call our happy hour."

Upon this, the little ones all looked up, as if to say, "Yes, indeed, it is our happy hour, Sir."

I then declared the object of my visit."Mrs. Tristram," I said, "I have just received such a treasure from London."

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Indeed, Sir!" replied Mrs. Tristram. "Yes," I answered; "a box of books; little books, with gilt covers and pictures." Really, Sir!" said Mrs. Tristram,

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smiling.

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"Yes, I assure you; and I have a great mind to come here some afternoon and drink tea with you, and then we will open the box; and I intend to give a book to every little girl who desires to be enabled to behave better this year than she behaved during the last. Or shall I make presents only to those little girls who have been good during the last year?"

"In that case, Sir," said one of the elder girls, archly, "you would not be much the poorer for your gifts."

"And why?" I asked.

"Because there is none good, no, not one," she answered.

"Very true," I replied; "you have been properly taught, I see. And what happy children you are, in being thus led in the holy way so early in life! Well, my little people," I added, "I am come to live among you. Perhaps I may stay many years, till you are all grown up; and I hope to come often to see you, and to watch you from year to year as you grow bigger. And how pleasant it will be to me to see you all become holy and industrious women! Then, when all the little ones who now play about in the fields of Roxobel, are become men and women;-if not before, my time will come to be laid in this quiet churchyard, there to lie till the morning of the resurrection. And then, if in this life I have loved my Saviour, and have been assisted by the grace of the Holy Spirit to do the will of my heavenly Father,

I shall rise in glory, and be taken to dwell with God in everlasting happiness. I shall then be looking again for you, my dear children and with what pleasure shall we meet in the heavenly regions, never to be parted any more!" I added a few other observations to the same purpose, and then fixing the next Tuesday, the tenth of August, for my visit, that day being Lucy's birth-day, I was rising to take leave, when one of the little girls, though apparently half afraid, pressed a little forward, as if desirous of attracting my particular notice. It was Ellen, my dear Mrs. Goodwill's granddaughter. I immediately recollected her, extended my hand to her, and asked after her grandmother.

Then walking out of the house, though not till I had invited the old lady and little Margery to my feast, I proceeded to the boys' school, which I did not find in that calm and comfortable state in which I had found the little girls. These poor boys I found to be very deficient in religious instruction; indeed, Dr. Beauchamp had informed me that this was what I

might expect: I therefore resolved to watch particularly over them; to lend them suitable books; and, if their master would permit, to read to them for an hour, two or three times a week. I almost anticipated a refusal from Mr. Pen Map; but having propitiated the pedagogue, by presenting him with a case of mathematical instruments, which I had purposely brought in my pocket, I found my way quite smooth, nor did I encounter any difficulty with the boys, who, I perceived, had already acquired a sort of liking for me, though some of the young rogues were making game at me from behind the forms and desks.

"Poor little fellows," I thought, "how unapprehensive are ye of the troubles which await you in after-life! How easy is it now to set you a chuckling and capering!" It is one of my opinions, however, that giggling children are by no means so much to be suspected as the graver and more demure sort; and that so long as their laughter is foolish and not wicked, there is little harm to be dreaded. I believe, it is a remarkable trait in the character of some