"In the next cottage was an old bed-ridden grandmother; in another a cripple; and enough all around to convince me that Madeline Hamilton must not spend an idle life around Woodcliff. Just to think that I have lived so many years in elegance and ease, and all this misery at my very doors. I thought of the parable of the steward, and his Lord's return to reckon. It is true that a great deal was sent out from Woodcliff among the neighboring poor, but it could not be said of us generally, 'I was sick and ye visited me.' I must do something--but how shall it be? I will ask Effie; she knows a great deal about these people. Roland could tell me; his earnest, warm heart, and strong good sense, would see the way at once. It will be so pleasant to know that I am working in the same field with Roland--he, for the misery of New York, and I, for that around Woodcliff. These poor children have no time for school, and yet they are so ignorant; can I teach them in any way? They might stop work on Saturday; I would pay their mother their wages, and they could come to me in the afternoon; they would thus lose no money, and gain much knowledge. I will try, and Effie can help me to gather the children. * * * * * * "I went yesterday--six little ones promised to come on Saturday. Aunt Matilda is shocked with the idea of a Miss Hamilton becoming the Lady Bountiful of the neighborhood. "'What will Mrs. Grundy say?' is ever uppermost with poor aunty. "I have a room all my own, where I can do just what I please; my pleasant sitting-room, where I can easily manage twelve little girls. I will have some nice desks and benches made, and James can bring them in every Saturday. "Yesterday my little class came--they were all clean, but several barefoot and ragged. "They seemed quite bewildered by the pretty things around them. I played a simple hymn, and tried to teach them to say it; but they were struck dumb with amazement. I suppose that they had never seen a piano before. "I amused them then by telling them a story. Effie took them out in the garden, and gave each a bunch of flowers. They looked so pleased, poor little things! What a pity that I had not known before how cheap a thing it is to make others happy, and that my garden could brighten so many little faces; but I don't think that they were so happy as I--my heart felt so warm, and tears of gratitude would rise, when I remembered all God's goodness to me. There was a warm glow of sunshine around Woodcliff on Saturday afternoon, and it shall come again. "Effie thinks we had a good beginning; the little ones promised to come next Saturday. "Aunt Matilda laughs at my new folly, as she terms it, saying, 'that I will soon grow tired of it.' "Papa says, 'I am glad that Madeline has thought of the children; it will employ much of her time. I sometimes think that we spend a very useless life here at Woodcliff.'