THE NORTHCROFT LILIES.

 care, and when the children went to bed Gertrude
 said she thought she had never spent such a happy
 day.
 That same afternoon Nancy was lying back on her
 pillows, wearied with the heat, and anxious. Her
 mother was not very well, and, worse still, had nothing
 to do. There was not a penny in the house, and the
 boys would have nothing to buy watercresses with
 to-morrow, and she always troubled so when they had
 nothing to do; she could not help thinking of the
 temptations to steal which fell in their way. Poor
 Nancy! she knew herself it was hard to be hungry;
 but oh! how much harder it must be for the boys, she
 thought. Her lilies were drooping too, and she felt
 sad as she looked at the brown cups which had been
 so creamy white when Miss Campion brought them.
 It is the close room," she thought; and then came a
 quiet sigh as she shut her eyes and longed for a breath
 of fresh air.
 She dozed off presently, and Miss Brooke, who
came in with a parcel in her hand, said she was afraid
she had disturbed her.
 Oh, no, ma'am; I'm very glad to see you."
 The lilies are fading I see, Nancy."
 "Yes, ma'am; pretty things don't last long:" and
Miss Brooke felt grieved as she noticed the girls care-
worn look.
 "I have brought you something that will last,"
she said, and unfolding her parcel, she placed before
Nancy a beautiful illumination in an Oxford frame.
 Oh, how beautiful! they look like real."
 It was certainly comforting for weary eyes to gaze
upon-that dark oak cross resting on the fair white
flowers, and their smooth, broad leaves; and the words
beneath-Nancy's eyes filled with tears as she read