"I hope you do not tease Mademoiselle, Miss Madeline?" answered Mrs. Bruce. "Tease Mademoiselle! Not much!" answered the child, with a roguish smile upon her dimpled face. "Only when she gives me a hard lesson, I give her a hard one back by pulling Fanfan's tail, or boxing her ears slily; and then Mademoiselle rolls up her eyes, and cries out, 'Oh! ma petite mignon, ma pauvre petite Fanfan!' and then she takes up the horrid thing, with its sore eyes, and kisses it. Just think of kissing a lap-dog." "Try to be a good girl, Miss Madeline; it is a hard task for a young lady that has a good home to go out to teach. If you'll only think of that, I am sure that you will be kind to Mademoiselle!" "I'm not a good girl, Mrs. Bruce. I'm not used to thinking whether a thing is right or wrong; nobody ever said much to me about it but Roland. I am sorry to be bad when it grieves Roland, for he is such a good boy. I do believe that he is a Christian. Where is he to-day, Mrs. Bruce?" "He has gone to market with the vegetables; he always goes on Saturday, for he saves his mother all the labor that he can." "How does he go? Has he a little cart?" asked Madeline. "One of the neighbors lends him an old cart and horse, that is too old to be used by the family; but it makes Roland feel badly, because he is afraid that the poor horse is too old to work." "Is that all you have to live on, Mrs. Bruce?" "No, my dear, I sew and knit for several of the neighbors." "I think we can send you some work. Aunt Matilda often wants some one to do plain sewing." Mrs. Bruce loved the warm-hearted little girl, and pitied her motherless condition. She saw countless weeds springing up in the heart of the child, and resolved to try to scatter seeds of truth around her. "What are you making, Effie?" inquired Madeline. "I am making a shirt for George Belton, Miss Madeline. I made two last week." "Why, how in the world did you do that, Effie? go to school every day, learn your lessons, and make two shirts!" "I rise very early in the morning, and sew two hours before school; I study as much as I can in school; and I sew all my leisure time." "That's what makes you look so pale, Effie; what a pity that you have to work so hard!" "I don't feel it, Miss Madeline; my mother has been so good and kind to me, that I am only too glad to help her now." And Effie's blue eyes were turned upon her mother's face, with a look full of filial love. "Well, I must go now. I learn good lessons here, Mrs. Bruce; you'll let me come and see you often--may I?" "You are always welcome, Miss Madeline, for I love you for your goodness to my dear children." "Good-bye, ma'am;" and Madeline Hamilton touched the hand of Mrs. Bruce with more real respect, than she felt for most of the circle of rich friends who visited at Woodcliff.