“Margaret, you are getting most disgracefully frivolous. I shall move to the piano. I am in danger here of being corrupted.” Mary had left the instrument, and some one was asking, “Will not Miss Whitwell sing for us?” “Miss Whitwell is not at all in a singing mood,” she said; but John Dallington added his request, and she was too good-natured to refuse. At first she played a sonata, then a march; but “A song! a song!” cried her friends, and she gave them a ditty of her own: “There was, among the fields of earth, A little patch of ground, Which loving hearts held priceless, And tender hands hedged round,— A small brown patch, with naught to show, Save a weed here and there; But it proved a triumph-trophy, won By kindliness and care. “Frosts sealed it down in safe, close warmth Till the cold passed away; Then genial showers fell softly, Then the sun shone all day, And deft hands turned it over, And treasures green and gold With lavish generosity Were given for it to hold. “And through the summer, beautiful Was that same patch of ground, For fragrant flowers, and rich, ripe fruits, And golden corn were found. And over it the glad birds sang Their merry hymns and lays, And near to it the hearts of men Poured forth their Master’s praise. “And, best of all, He came to see The patch of ground prepared, And His eyes noted the green spot, And knew how it had fared; And smiled the gentle Master then, For He saw what love had won, And crowned the workers with the words: ‘My faithful ones, well done!’” “Now, Margaret, it is your turn,” said the singer. “Give us something merry.” “The Doctor will do that,” said John; and Stapleton gave “Rule, Britannia!” with variations, that were very varied indeed. After a time, “Will not Mr. Knight favour us with a song?” asked Margaret. “I know he does sing.” “Not often,” replied Arthur, as he took his seat at the piano, and prepared to accompany himself. All eyes in the room turned affectionately towards him. “He is a man, take him for all in all, We ne’er shall look upon his like again.”