"What a pleasure there is in seeing all things fit nicely into their places!"

This pleasure in the perception of the fitness of things has been felt probably by every little or great lover of order, as well as by Lucy. Besides our sense of the convenience of having things in their places, and the expectation of finding them readily when wanted, we feel some self-approbation in having done our duty in putting them to rights.

Lucy having finished to the best of her power the arrangement of all her brother's things, and her own, went out to the sea-shore to look for shells, and numbers she found. The whole day was spent in the delightful search, and the next morning, the moment breakfast was over, she asked Harry to come again with her to the same amusement; but he said that he had business to do first, and that he would join her as soon as he had learned his lessons.

"Lessons!" repeated Lucy, with surprise, not unmixed with disappointment. "Do you intend

to go on with lessons, Harry?"

"Yes; why not?"

"I do not know," answered Lucy, putting on her bonnet; "but I thought you need not learn them-I did not know that we were to go on with lessons now. We are not at home."

"We are at home now, I think," said Harry.

"This is to be our home for two months at least."

66

That is a long time to be sure," said Lucy, tying the strings of her bonnet," but I have not settled to any thing yet; I have no Greek to learn, thank goodness! I will go down to the seashore to-day at least, and you will find me there, Harry, when you have done your business make haste."

Harry with his books under his arm, and Lucy with her bonnet on, and shell tray in her hand, were turning their different ways in the matted passage, when their mother came out of

her room.

"Where are you going, Lucy?"

"To the sea-shore, mamma, to look for shells." Her mother said that this was a pleasant amusement, but reminded her that there were other more necessary employments.

66

66

Yes, to-morrow, mamma, I intend-"

Why not to-day, Lucy?" said her mother.

I thought it would not signify, mamma, if I went without lessons one day more: you know I have not done any during all the journey. in one day I could not learn much."

And

"My dear Lucy," said her mother, "when your father and I first thought of bringing you with us on this journey, we considered whether it would be of advantage or disadvantage to you."

"Thank you, mamma, and you said yesterday you thought it had been already of great use to Harry."

that

"True, my dear; but now I am speaking of you."

Me only, mamma?" said Lucy. * When you said you, I thought you always meant both of us."

"You are not quite so steady in perseverance as your brother; and I was afraid that seeing a great number of new things, and being with a number of new people, might be of disservice to you."

"But I hope you do not think I am spoilt at all yet, mamma," said Lucy.

"I cannot tell yet, my dear," said her mother, smiling, "that remains for you to show me. Your father thought, as he told me, that I might trust to the habits of regularly employing yourself, which you have lately acquired or resumed, and to the influence of your brother's example. I shall not have it in my power to attend to you here so much as I do at home. I must ride out while I am here some hours every day for my health, and I am to bathe, therefore I cannot be with you so much, or hear your lessons as I used to do at regular times."

"Never mind, my dear mother," said Lucy, "I will get them always regularly. You shall

66

see, mamma, that papa was right in thinking you might trust to me, and I will follow Harry's example; and I will begin to-day, and this minute," added she, untying her bonnet. "I will put by my shell tray. You will allow, mamma, that I am exact in putting by my things; and before I went away from you, mamma, I was regular in employing myself. I know that was the reason you said resumed. You shall see,

mamma."

166

CANAL.

FROM this time forward, Lucy, at fixed hours, always went to her daily employments or lessons as punctually as Harry went to his, and performed them well, whether her mother had leisure to attend to her or not. Never did Lucy neglect or voluntarily omit any of them a single day while they remained at the sea-shore. And when it was all over she declared, that of all the pleasures, the many pleasures she enjoyed there, the reflection that she had done this was the greatest. Nothing is more tiresome than to spend all day long in amusement, or in trying to amuse oneself. Lucy, after working hard and well at whatever she knew she ought to do, enjoyed with double pleasure the succeeding hours by the sea-shore. Harry, with complaisance which his lasting gratitude for the packing his camera obscura sustained, used to help her to pick up shells, but it was not an amusement particularly to his taste; and when he had stooped till his back ached, which soon happened, he went off to refresh himself at some of his own works. He had a bridge to