This suggestion seemed for a moment to abate the zeal of the young folks; but Alice, who was always the first to clear away obstructions, said, after a little reflection, "O! well, never mind the dancing-school. I have thought of a nice plan,Emily is Mr. Chanaud's best scholar, she can give us lessons in the garret. It is a good place for dancing, and we shall not disturb grandmamma there.

"And as to the drawing, sir," said Charles, "with a little of Harry's help we can teach ourselves; and when we have such a good motive for it, we shall take twice as much pains as if we had a master."

66

Well, my good children, we will all take it into consideration, and if we are of the same mind to-morrow night, Emily shall come to us with Harry."

This conversation, had not, as may well be supposed, occurred without much consultation between Mr. and Mrs. Barclay. They thought they could not do a more certain good, than by extending the advantages of their home to the young Nortons. They hoped this might be an acceptable expression of their gratitude to Providence for their domestic blessings. They knew their children had some prepossessions against Emily, and Mr. Barclay had undertaken to turn the current of their feelings in her favor. In this he had so far succeeded, that her entrance into the family was a favor accorded to them; and thus, instead of coming among them an object of their prejudice and distrust, they henceforth con

sidered themselves as Emily's champions and protectors. Each one was anxious to shelter her infirmities, to set her in a favorable light, and to make her new home as happy as possible.

When all the family had retired excepting Mrs. Barclay and her sister, Aunt Betsey jerked round her chair, put her feet on the fender, and gave vent to her pent-up feelings. By the way, it should be said in Aunt Betsey's favor, that fretting was her safety-valve; she thus let off her petty irritations, and in conduct she was not less humane than most persons.

"You are the oddest people," she began, "that ever I came across; with seven children, and the Lord knows how many more you may have, the old lady and myself, and only Martha for help, to undertake these two children that have no claim

on earth upon you. Claim! the children of your greatest enemy, the man that has all but ruined you, and in such an underhand way too, -8 pretty reward for knavery! I hope you mean to put up a sign, William Barclay & Co.'s orphan asylum, or alms-house!"

Mrs. Barclay was too much accustomed to her sister's railing to be disturbed by it.

If it were more the practice, Betsey," she mildly replied, "for those who have homes to extend the blessing to those who have them not, there would be little occasion for orphan asylums, and the charity now done by the public, would be more effectively done in private families."

"I see no advantage whatever in turning private houses into alms-houses and such sort of

places. I always thought home was a sacred place, from which it was a duty to shut out every thing disagreeable and unpleasant."

Fortunately Aunt Betsey's self-love prevented her perceiving how hard this rule would bear upon herself. Her brother-in-law had given her a home, simply because her temper was so uncomfortable, that no other member of her family was willing to receive her, none other could have borne and forborne with her, none other would have made allowances for the trials of her single and solitary condition, and, by always opposing a smooth surface to her sharp corners, have gradually worn them down.

"It is a duty, as you say, Betsey," replied her sister, "to exclude every thing permanently disagreeable from the family; for home should resemble heaven in happiness as well as love. But we cannot exclude from our earthly homes the infirmities of humanity. There are few persons, no young persons, who, if they are treated wisely and tenderly, will not be found to have more good than evil in them. In the Nortons, I am sure, the good greatly preponderates. Our children, we think, will be benefited by having new excitements to kindness, generosity, and forbearance."

Well, if your children must have these excitements, as you call them, why under the sun don't you find some folks to take in, besides the children of the man that's robbed you of all you 've been toiling for and saving, for this dozen years and more?

"O, Betsey, it does seem to me that, seeing, you see not. I don't mean to hurt you, but how can you help feeling Mr. Barclay's nobleness, his truly Christian spirit in this matter? how he has returned good for evil, and overcome evil with good! Aunt Betsey said nothing, and Mrs. Barclay proceeded, “Our children, I am sure, cannot but profit by such an example.

"But they don't need it. You are both of you always teaching them."

Example is better than precept,' Betsey." 'Well, let that rest. But I should like to know how you can afford to set such examples?" "As to that, the way is clear enough. Harry's earnings will pay his board and all his other expenses. He will only be indebted to us, for what, he says, he esteems above all other things, a

home in our house.'

'But little Miss Emily cannot be boarded, clothed, and schooled for nothing."

"Certainly not; but the expense of feeding a little girl in a family where there are three abundant meals a day is really trifling. The cost of Alice's clothes has never exceeded thirty dollars a year; Emily's will not cost more.

66 No, to be sure. You will not have to buy new for her. She is so much more slender than Alice, that I can easily manage to make Alice's old frocks over for her."

"Thank you, Betsey; but I would rather Alice should take hers. A person in the situation Emily will hold, should never be degraded in the eyes of others, or her own, by any such sign of

dependence or inferiority. That is a very poor kindness done to the body, which results in injury to the mind.”

Aunt Betsey was reduced to biting her nails, and her sister proceeded. Emily's schooling, it is true, will be expensive. Pity it is, that it is so, in a country, where, of all others, good teaching should be cheap and easily attained; but it is not so, at least in this city. However, Mr. Barclay is quite willing to meet the expense, whatever it may be.”

66 Oh, I dare say, 'Education the best investment of capital,'-you know he is always harping on that; but when you have precious little to invest, it is worth while to consider. That's all I have to say."

"We have considered, Betsey. Mr. Barclay, whose noble nature it is, as you know, to impart of his abundance to others, - freely to give what he so freely receives, says that his business was never more productive than at this moment. We cannot therefore go on fretting over our losses. We shall continue to live frugally, and to educate our girls and Emily to earn their own living, should it be necessary. Harry's highest ambition for Emily is, that she should be qualified for a teacher. He will himself be a great assistance to her."

"That he will. He is not like other boys, Harry is not."

"I shall endeavor," continued Mrs. Barclay, "in my domestic school, to qualify Emily for the offices of wife and mother. These in all human