her resolution wavered. How often she had wished, though vainly, to go to a good boarding-school! and now there was an opportunity for her to

cousins were quite unknown, except for the short notes she usually received at Christmas, w

nion and many school-fellows of her own age; of exchanging Miss Green's school, with its catechisms and needlework, for a young ladies' college, with its modern plans of stu

ighty, for how would mother contrive to do without her? And how cou

and perhaps I could come home for a few days at Christmas. I'm sure I don't know what to

would in any case have come to a decision without taking counsel of her Heavenly Father, for Ruth had f

e evil; she had been taught to pray and to desire to live a Christian life; she had long since begun the never-ending conflict against evil and tried to rule her life and actions by God's Word; and yet she could not tell whether the promptings and impu

r ship riding at anchor will prove herself seaworthy. It is when the storm rises in its fury and the billows dash over her that

If it were but a weak earth-born feeling, it would soon be upset by the winds of temptation; but if it were indeed

nd find out how ignorant you are, and then set to work to study with all your might, or do you mean to be the pattern eldest scholar at Mis

me, I will go to Busyborough, and rub shoul

all about it when you come back. Ah! your mother looks grave: I know she rather fears your picking up some fantastical notions and growing to look down on your own

answered, with so

h for his feelings, jumped up and seized his hat, saying in his queer way that he must be off to the

was for days the all-absorbing topic of conversation, it was generally refer