bring forward the baby to show the ladies how nice and neat it looked in the clothes they had sent. "I have been telling her," said the matron, "that she ought to consider herself the most fortunate woman alive to have friends and a home provided for her after the sad wicked fall she has had; there are not many persons who would do any thing for her, as I was saying just as you ladies came in, for you know that though we are all sinners and bad enough, -they are doubly in danger of eternal misery who have broken through the laws of God and man in that scandalous and open way."

66 I hope," said one of the ladies, "that she is willing to profit by your instructions ;" and turning towards the culprit, passed many eulogiums on the elderly woman's kindness and Christian benevolence, recommending her to endeavour to imitate her example, and to strive through her instructions, by repentance and prayer, to regain the forgiveness of God, and to be received into his favour. They asked if she read her Bible much, and what part of it she liked best to study, the penitent reddened and hesitated; her friend replied for her, that she appeared to have made a very good choice, for she observed the parable of the prodigal son turned down in her Testament. They next

inquired how much time in the day she allotted to sacred purposes; the young woman was still silent; but her friend said that she made a point of calling her about five in the morning, and from six to seven she expected her to read the scriptures; they then breakfasted, after which she worked at her needle, making the shirts which the ladies had given her to do until dinner; she then took her work again till tea, and from seven to eight o'clock she had the time to herself to do any thing for the child or to her own clothes that she might wish; and then she read the Bible or Baxter's Saint's Rest till they went to bed. She added, that she made it a rule never to allow any one to call on her, and never saw any of her own friends in the same room with her, " for you know," said she, it wouldn't do for her to see any of her former acquaintances, nor to speak to any one who might remind her of the "here the good woman's voice became so low that Mary could not distinguish the words, but she heard her continue, "Yes, ladies, indeed I have every reason to hope that the methods you have adopted will succeed. I think that total seclusion will in time wean her from the love of company, and being as it were shut out from seeing any living creature, and so out

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of the reach of all kinds of temptation, it is not possible that she should get into any harm; besides," said she, "she has consented, upon my saying that it was your wish, to let me see all the letters she ever receives, and she is never to write one herself without my reading it. Her friends are not to hear any thing of her until she has given proof, by a long and sincere profession of religion, that she is truly humbled under a sense of her sins, and willing for the future to become a faithful and zealous servant of God."

The ladies highly approved of the good woman's management, and again recommending the young woman to attend seriously to her instructions and advice, took their leave. Mary observed, that the poor unfortunate creature never opened her lips nor raised her eyes during the time they were with her; she felt warmly interested in her situation, and more so when she learnt that she was the daughter of a most respectable tradesman, and had been deceived by a young man lodging in the house, who, beguiling her with a promise of marriage, had taken her from her Father's house and left her friendless and destitute in the town where the above-mentioned ladies discovered her. Mary resolved to find an opportunity of calling

on her alone, and for this purpose mentioned her wish, which was readily assented to by the ladies.

Before they separated, and while talking together about the different cottagers, the Curate of Dunbury came in sight; the two ladies, one of whom was by no means young, coloured up, and exclaimed, "Oh! here's Mr. Page, what shall we do can't we avoid him?" Mary looked to see how this would end, for she could not understand them; she had heard the Curate spoken of in very high terms, and seen him at their houses. He advanced, however, looking little less embarrassed than the others, and uncertain whether to make his bow and pass on, or to stop and speak. They returned his salutation, looking shy and glad to get away. Mary could have laughed at this singular rencounter, but she said nothing. The elder lady seemed to think their manner struck her as strange, and said a few words about the difficulty of knowing what to do in such a situation, and the awkwardness of meeting a gentleman whom you were acquainted with and valued, but could hardly, consistent with propriety, hold conversation with.

"And why not?" asked Mary.

"Oh, you know two females walking together

could not stop and converse with a gentleman; the people would be making some remarks, and we are anxious to avoid every thing that might be noticed as inconsistent. We are frequently obliged, from circumstances, to meet the different clergymen, and it makes it very awkward for us, because we have often business to speak of together, and we can't talk except it is on the evenings when we meet for business. I sometimes find it very inconvenient."

"And I should think, very disagreeable," said Mary.

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Why, as to that, Miss Conroy, you know that we should only look to what is consistent and proper; it certainly is very perplexing sometimes, but on the whole I believe it is best."

"Do you think it wrong then to have any friendship with the male part of the community?"

"Not exactly wrong, no! I shouldn't say that, but I think the less intimacy there subsists the better; people can't talk of you, and your own mind has less chance of being taken up with foolish ideas."

Here the conversation dropped, and the ladies separated. On the road home, Mary met the same gentleman returning from his walk. Accustomed to be shunned by the ladies of