THE NORTICROFT LILIES.

 ", Good night, dear papa," she said.
 Something in the tone struck her father.
 Are you tired, my darling ?"
 No, papa; at least, not very. I was thinking."
 Of what?" he asked.
 "Of all the burdens there are to bear in every
one's life, and it tires me to think of."
 "' Of all the burdens in every one's life !' that
may well tire you, Mary. No man can bear all the
burdens-that is God's work, dearest. But what made
you think of them ? Not the words I saw you drawing
just now?"
 "No, and yet partly, I think; but I have been
wondering about it all day. First I went to see
Grace Brown, the eldest girl in my Sunday class you
know, papa. I wanted to tell her not to make the
others laugh, but she did not seem to mind at all, and
only said 'she couldn't answer for keeping quiet if
anything funny struck her at the time.' And then
her mother said it was hard she should be found fault
with; she couldn't help being sharper than the others;
and girls couldn't always look solemn.' She was
really impertinent, papa, and I have taken such pains
with Grace."
 Well, that was trying; but don't despair, you
may do a great deal yet. What next ?"
 Then I went to see Nancy Joyce."
 She was not impertinent ?"
 Oh, dear, no she is quite different. But what
a burden her life must be! Her mother looks very
delicate, and yet she must work; and the two little
boys! I know Nancy troubles about them a good
deal, and she herself lying there so helpless. And it
is not really as if she were idle or lazy; one can
easily see she has plenty of energy, and that must be