"It is such awful drudgery doing this alone. Mamma thinks because I had a year or two of it at school, I ought to be able to read both French and German fluently," she grumbled. But help in this work was nearer than she thought—nearer, perhaps, than she altogether desired. The next evening when Mr. Randolph came home, he brought with him a letter which he had that day received from his brother, Isabel's father, proposing that Mabel should come and share Isabel's lessons for a year, by way of finishing her education. "What do you think of it?" he asked eagerly as Mrs. Randolph handed back the letter. It was evident that he was pleased with his brother's proposal, and expected his wife would be the same. "It will be a capital thing for her, I think. For if the worst should come to the worst, and she should have to go out as a governess by and by, she will find it very useful." Mrs. Randolph looked anxiously at her husband as she said, "I hope this will not be necessary, John." "Well, I hope not, and I do not think it will. But still, we agreed the other day that Mabel should teach Mary and the little ones, and for this she will need some further instruction herself, and so Henry's offer is really most opportune." "And you think we ought to accept it for Mabel," said Mrs. Randolph, wondering whether it would be wise to send Mabel to a home where wealth and luxury reigned—whether this would be a wise arrangement for such a girl as Mabel. Before deciding the matter in her own mind, she resolved to talk to Mabel about it. And so after the children had gone to bed, and while Mr. Randolph was busy over some accounts, she went to Mabel's room and told her of the offer made by her uncle. "But you will not let me go, mamma?" said Mabel quickly. "I scarcely know what to do under existing circumstances," said her mother with a sigh. "But aunt is a gay, fashionable lady, and I should grow worldly too, if—" "My dear, you may grow worldly in any society. Do not think that worldliness is confined to the frivolous and fashionable people. Certainly if I thought by allowing you to go to your aunt's, it would foster this tendency in you, I would not let you go for all the educational advantages in the world. But there is no necessity for this if you watch and pray against it, and that is what I want to talk to you about, my dear. It will be a great advantage to you to have a year's teaching under good masters, and no one can tell what you may need by and by, and so your father, I know, is very anxious that you should go." "But aunt is a mere fine lady, I have heard father say," objected Mabel. "That is probably the fault of her education, and can be no excuse for you. Indeed, Mabel, you will never have the opportunity of being a mere fine lady, so there is some comfort in being poor," concluded Mrs. Randolph with a slight smile. But Mabel did not smile. "Mamma, I am afraid I should like it," she said seriously.