"You give a hard judgment, Mrs. Southcote," said Miss Saville, roused even to a certain dignity. "Did you ever consider what she has to make her discontented--great age, weakness, disease, and poverty? Do even such as you, with youth, and wealth, and everything that heart can desire, make the best always of the good things God gives them? I am sure you should do so, before you give her such names as wretched and selfish. Look what a difference between old Sally and you--and she's had no education, poor old creature! to teach her to endure her evil things patiently. But I've seen thankless young folks take blessings as if they were curses--I have indeed." "Oh! here we are, close upon the school," cried Flora, breathlessly eager to prevent a breach between us. "Are you able to be troubled, dear cousin Hester? Please do let us go in." I was not offended. I am not sure that this assault upon me was disagreeable to me at all. At the moment, it rather increased my respect for Miss Saville, and gave her importance in my eyes; though I confess, when I thought of it after, I did not derive a great deal of satisfaction from comparing myself, my temper, and my hardships, with those of old Sally. Without any more words we entered the school--the half of it appropriated to girls and infants. As the startled children stopped in their classes, or got up from their seats, where they were boring and bungling over their soiled pieces of sewing, and made their clumsy curtseys, I took a seat which Flora brought me, and she began to dance about among them, overlooking their work, and inquiring about their lessons, and making awkward smiles and giggles among the little rustics, every one of whom hung her head, turning her crown instead of her face to Flora as the young lady approached. Dull, listless, separate, I sat and looked on, while Miss Saville talked to the schoolmistress, and singled out some of the elder girls for admonition or encouragement, and Flora ran about from form to form. Miss Saville represented the constituted authorities. Flora--sweet, pretty Flora!--was only herself, young, happy, affectionate--a spring of delight to everybody. I cannot tell what any one thought of me. After a little interval, I became conscious of myself, with a dull pain. I never was like Flora; yet I once was Hester Southcote--once I dressed magnificent dolls for Alice's little niece, and enjoyed such innocent occupation, and had, among the very few who knew me, my own share of popularity--but what was I now? "Cousin Hester!" said Flora, coming up to me, and bending down to whisper in my ear, "I should like to give them prizes, and have a little feast here--may I? they are always happy, and such a thing pleases everybody. May I tell Miss Saville and the teacher? Please do say yes--cousin Hester?" "Surely, Flora, if you will like it," said I.