AN ACCIDENT. , Qi

was really the matter, and then the whole
thing would have been off her mind. But
before all the school children! not for worlds!

“What was I saying?” Miss Rayner went
on. “Oh, I was telling you that you must not
let people make mistakes or deceive themselves,
when by speaking out you could set them right.
Do you understand me?”

“Yes, miss,” said all but Nellie.

“Tt is just time to go, so I'll tell you one or
two things to remember before we leave off.
Don’t let people praise you when you don’t
deserve it. Never tell half the truth or keep
silence because you are afraid you would not
be liked so well if you spoke out. And never,
never try to seem better than you are. Try

‘to be better than you seem.”

The church bells were ringing, and the school
clock told that it was a quarter past ten, so the
classes were broken up, and a minute or so
later all the children were winding, two by two,
up the lane to the church. Miss Rayner still
held Nellie’s hand, and asked her how she felt;
the girl scarcely making any reply, and wish-
ing she could summon up courage to say, “I
have let you think what is not true, miss.”