"It certainly hurts yours. I would give them up, and so much cake; the regular school living is good enough, and you should take a cold bath in the morning."
"Ouch! That would be horrid," and the girl shuddered.
"But you want to be beautiful!"
"Oh, I am afraid that wouldn"t make me beautiful, and when I am quite grown up I shall have lovely clothes, and it doesn"t so much matter when you are rich."
Lilian glanced at her with a sort of pity that any girl could be so silly, and a sense of disgust, also.
"Miss Nevins, I must say one thing that I want you to observe for the future. You must not make me costly gifts nor any kind of gifts. The help I am giving you Mrs. Barrington wishes me to give to any girl who needs it. It is simply my duty, you see, and Mrs. Barrington repays me."
Miss Nevins looked as if she could not understand. Then she struck a rather tragic pose.
"Oh, if you would only love me!" she cried, clasping her hands together.
"I am so lonely! I miss mamma every hour. Then I think I could learn to like it here, and I"d try to study. I"d give up cream soda and--yes, I _would_ take the bath, but it must be warm."
"Oh, you foolish thing!" Lilian laughed in spite of herself. "There, I cannot stay here talking, and you must go to your lessons."
"No, I"ll get some other girl and go down town. You are cold and cruel."
She was rather sullen all the evening and failed in some recitations the next day. After that she studied with a better grace.
"Miss Arran," Lilian said on Sunday morning, "do you think I might take mother to that little Chapel in Chester street. I think she would feel more at home there."
"Oh, certainly. Mrs. Barrington insists that the girls shall attend at least one service a Sunday. Then there is the Bible Cla.s.s here, which she makes very interesting. She and many of the girls go to Trinity, but I like the Chapel a good deal myself. It is a Methodist, you know."
"Yes, mother was used to that service."
So they went together, though Louie Howe said--"We"ll manage it so Beauty and the Beast will walk together," but she missed her plan.
It was a very simple and sweet service and the sermon was on hidden sins. Lilian wondered if hers was undue pride, the desire to rise above her station? She glanced at her mother. The tears were coursing silently down her sunken cheeks. Was she missing the love a daughter ought to give? She looked so frail and delicate that the girl"s heart went out to her as it never had before.
In the vestibule stood a sweet faced young woman waiting while an elderly lady was talking to her friend. She came near and held out her hand in a friendly manner.
"You are a stranger here, but we are very glad to welcome you," she began cordially.
"You are one of the Seminary young ladies, I saw you on the porch one day when I was pa.s.sing."
"Yes," Lilian returned, then added "in a way. And this is my mother, Mrs. Boyd."
"And I am Miss Trenham. This is my mother." The two ladies shook hands in an old-fashioned manner.
"Do you go up Elm Place? Then let us walk together. Is this your first year here?"
"Yes," answered Lilian.
"I hope you liked our clergyman and will come again."
"I think mother will feel more at home."
Miss Trenham smiled.
"I come here largely for my mother"s sake. I think the simple service comes nearer the heart of the older people. I like Trinity church, I like the service of the whole year round, and the music is fine. I like coming in the house of G.o.d with a reverent hymn. You are one of the newer scholars, are you not?"
"Yes, we came in August. My mother has a position in the household." She would not sail under false colors. "And I am to study for a teacher."
"Oh, then we"ll have a mutual bond. I am a teacher in the Franklin School."
"Oh, I know where that is," with a smile.
"You like your own school?"
"Oh, it is delightful, and such a beautiful home. Such a lovely town--"
Her face was radiant with pleasure. Then they paused.
"We go on a few blocks further. We live in Gray street. I am very glad to have met you. Shall I see you again next Sunday morning?"
"Oh, yes," promised Lilian.
Then she took her mother"s arm.
"Did you like it mother dear? I thought the service very simple and sweet."
"And the lady was so friendly. I told her we were at the Seminary. The daughter teaches school, and she asked me to visit them--to come to tea some day. Do you suppose Mrs. Barrington would object? Would you like to go?" timidly.
"Why it would be very pleasant."
"Everybody seems so grand, I"m glad not to go to the high-up tables; I"m so afraid of mistakes. You see when people get along in life it isn"t so easy to take up new ways. But that Mrs. Trenham seemed like some of the Laconia folks."
"Yes, we will go again next Sunday," said Lilian. "And to tea the first time we are invited."
CHAPTER IV
THE GRACE OF ENDEAVOR
The door of Mrs. Boyd"s room stood partly open. Louie Howe gave a light tap and marched in with an air that was rather insolent.
"Oh, Mrs. Boyd, I"ve given my walking dress such an awful tear! Mrs.
Barrington said she was quite sure you could mend it. You see I"m going to a sort of musicale in about an hour and I couldn"t take it to the tailors. It"s my best suit, too, and--it must be done very neatly."
Mrs. Boyd examined it. "Yes, it"s pretty bad, I"ve done worse though, and part of it will be under the plait. Let me see if I have the right color."
She opened a box of spools and took up several colors to match.