EYE-SERVICE M OBR





 CHAPTER III.

THERE is a certain monotony in school life: the same
round of lessons day after day, the same small excite-
ments, and, alas! the same manoeuvring to escape
punishment. But Lydia felt comforted now that she
had a companion in treading the narrow way; for
Emily, though long accustomed to let her good im*
pulses melt away into mere sentiment, was really in
earnest now, and in one way it was more difficult for
her to do right than it was for Lydia. Emily was
naturally indolent, and it was no easy task to rouse
herself to do her best in any of her studies, and often
her laziness was a great trial of temper to Lydia; but
everything becomes easier by practice, and by the
end of May Emily seemed confirmed in her im-
proved habits. Lydia's great trial still was the being
thought ill-natured; the others shunned her, and even
when she could and would have helped them honour-
ably, she would hear them say to each other, Don't
ask Lydia; since she has grown good, she thinks it a
sin to help her old friends. She is really quite selfish
now." Poor Lydia! and she was really so unselfish.
Sometimes she felb she must yield, but God helped
her, and though the unkindness of the girls still pained
her, it had lost its first power of making her waver;
her mind was made up now, and she was determined,
God helping her, to serve Him at all costs.
 "To serve God at all costs It is an easy thing
 to say, but a very difficult thing to do, especially at
 school, for girls, even not wilfully intending to do