EYE-SERVICE ; 6i,

 before this year ended there would be another. One
 by one, as her sons grew up, they faded away in
 decline, and at the present time her last child was
 lingering in weary illness in a house down by the
 beach which she had taken for him, so that he might
 have the soft sea breezes to bring him what strength
 they might, and also that she might be near to tend
 his last days. Yes, she needed no rebellion on the
 part of her pupils to make her life more full of care;
 but she was a Christian, and as one by one her Father
 required from her the children He had given her, she
 strove to say, each time with still heartier submission,
 Father, not my will but Thine be done."
 The morning after the sermon which had so imr
pressed Lydia, the dressing-bell rang as usual at half-
past six. It was customary with the girls to stay in
bed till the very last minute, and hurry over the
dressing as much as possible, and, though it had
never been known for any one to be late for prayers
at half-past seven, there was always a great scramble
to be down in time. But Lydia had gone to sleep
resolving to bid farewell to eye-service, and before
the bell had finished she jumped up. She was dressed
some time before the others, and scarcely knew what
to do with her spare time; she had yet to learn the
value of a quiet half hour for prayer and reading.
She remembered she had a theme on hand, and
thought of a book of reference which it might be
advisable to look through, so she went to Miss Wilmot
to ask leave to fetch it. Formerly she would have
crept down slyly to avoid detection, but a moment's
thought told her this was not straightforward, and
she rapped softly at Miss Wilmot's door, and, having
obtained permission, did her best to learn during the
bustle of her companions' dressing.