THE NORTHCROFT LILIES.

drew out the spicy odours of the larch trees n the
woods, and all around where the woods extended were
warm, soft tints-black, brown, and bright green-all
making a richness of colour which gladdened while it
rested the eye. Gertrude had been playing in the
garden after breakfast one morning, and was watching
with admiring eyes a spider's web, all spangled with
dew, which twined round about and enveloped like a
soft veil a beautiful major convolvulus on the trellis-
work, when Mrs. Layton came out.
 Gertrude called out, C Oh, come here; do, mamma!"
 Mrs. Layton came. "Yes, it is beautiful, darling,"
she said in answer to her little girl's enraptured excla-
mations; but, Gertrude, I wanted to tell you about
this letter. It is from Mr. Brooke, his daughter is not
strong, he thinks she has been working too hard; do
you think you and Effie could help to nurse her if she
came to visit us for a little while ?"
 Oh, yes, mamma; but she wouldn't care for me,
she is as old as Effie, isn't she ?"
 "But Effie cares for you."
 "Oh, yes; but then she's my sister, that's
different. Oh, I do wish we could have poor Nancy
here !"
 And so do I, dearest, but that is an impossibility;
and we must not lose an opportunity of doing good
because we cannot exercise it on the person we spe-
cially wish to benefit: do you see that, Gertrude ?"
 "c Yes, mamma."
 And you will try to make her at home and
happy ?"
 Oh, yes; and perhaps she would like to go and
gather blackberries with us : James says there are ever
so many in the woods. And, mamma, don't you think
that little bed-room over papa's study would be nice ?