66 THE COUSINS.

help her cousin so effectually, that in half an hour
Mary too could put her books aside, and fecl that
her tasks were done.

«And now,” said Mr. Lovett, ‘come here, ;
and I will answer for you a question which Lucy
asked this morning, and which, I suspect, Mary
has very often felt a wish to ask this evening—
what is the use of study?” Mr. Lovett’s ex-
planations were always so pleasantly given, that
in a moment both little girls stood at his side
with smiling but attentive faces.

“ First,” began Mr. Lovett, “let me say that
nothing can be learned without trouble. Even
Mary did not learn what she knows without a
great deal of trouble.”

“Qh, yes I did!” interrupted Mary; “I never
had any trouble at all.”

“Ah! that may be; you never had any trouble,
but your kind mamma had a great deal, in order
to make things so simple and plain to you that
your learning them should seem like playing.
Very few people are willing, or have the Icisure
necessary to give so much attention to one child
as she gave to you; theiefore, if children wish to