HALCYON DAYS.

so by the end of the week, they had regained all their
usual cheerfulness, and even begun to anticipate the
pleasures of the Christmas vacation.
 When I think of it," remarked Minnie, one day,
"I feel quite surprised that we go on so happily with-
out William, and yet we missed him almost painfully
when first he went."
 "C And cannot you find a reason for it ?" asked her
governess, smiling.
 "Perhaps it is because we take pleasure in our
lessons," replied Minnie, "I can think of no other
reason."
 "Or perhaps, because we so seldom quarrel now,
Minnie," cried Louisa.
 You are both partly right," said Miss Forster.
"but it is chiefly because your time is fully employed
-occupation of mind and body is the secret of your
happiness. You have no leisure for fretting, dear
Minnie, so you see that every incident of life proves
that duty is happiness, and that no real pleasure is
ever sacrificed in performing it."
 Duty, that "tiresome word," as Louisa called it
four months before, had strangely changed in meaning
to the sisters, since Miss Forster had endeavoured to
make it one of the principal motives of all their
actions. Now each little girl, when she rose in the
morning, thought of the perfect fulfilment of it as the
great object of the day, and very heavy-hearted indeed
did she feel who laid her head on her pillow at night,
conscious that she had neglected it. Several times
when their governess visited their bed-room before
retiring to their own, she found either Minnie or Louisa
awake and sobbing with self-reproach. On these
occasions, even while condemning the acknowledged
fault, Miss Forster comforted the mourner, and inspired