"But, my dear grandchild, my brain is all befogged. I can see by what you have said that you had a sort of a masquerade, but your old grandmother knows no more about that essay than you did. You know, I never was much of a scholar, had to work too hard in my young days to find time for an education, and I've been sorry and ashamed over my lack of knowledge many's the time," and at the remembrance the old lady's eyes filled with tears. This was too much for impulsive Maud, who in a trice had both her arms around her grandmother's neck, sternly saying: "Take those words back or I'll never kiss you again. No education indeed! You had the education which comes from hard work and denial. Where would all our comforts have been to-day--what would papa have known, I'd like to ask, had it not been for you? What sort of an education would I have had? It's a burning shame," and the hot blood reddened Maud's cheeks, "that I have not made better use of my advantages! But 'it's never too late to mend' are the old words, which I shall apply to myself hereafter; and there, now, dearest grandma," and Maud kissed her, saying aloud: "One, two, three; that's our seal to the bargain. And remember, you are not to say another word against yourself, and I am to study harder than ever before. Who knows, I may be a second Edith Worster, if I try." "If you try, you can do all things, Maud," and then grandma felt around for her handkerchief, and slowly wiped away the moisture which had dimmed her gold-rimmed spectacles. "Now I'll run away for a second, and get the book to read you the opening of the essay. You will understand it better than my wordy jargon"; and then off Maud flew, napkins, scissors, and all the rest of her sewing paraphernalia dropping at her feet in a hurry to be gone; however, she stopped for a second, and gathering them up, threw them hastily on the table while she rushed on. In a minute she returned, and though all out of breath, at once found the place and commenced: "'Rejoicings over the New Year's Coming of Age.' [Illustration]