"But you didn't have to go to service," muttered Jessie.
"No, God had fitted me to be a teacher, and opened the way for me to learn to do my work properly. He has placed you where you can learn to be useful by helping others to make their home nice and neat and comfortable. Your strong, young arms can move a brush and broom much better than some who are older and weaker, while they can teach you many things you need to learn, if you are to be a capable, useful woman by-and-by. Try to think of going to service in this way. We all have to help each other in some way, and God wants many of the young girls to use their strength to help those who are weaker and less able to do housework. In doing this, you are helping mother and father too, as well as yourself. Now, think over what I have said, and I hope you will soon get another place. But if you should not do that just now, remember that your old governess is always your friend, and ready to help you whenever she can. Now, tell mother I hope she won't want to take Polly away from school yet. She is a year younger than Eliza Brown, although she is a bigger girl."
"All right, teacher," said Jessie, with a nod, "Polly shall stop at school just as long as you want her to," she added, as though she had the ruling of all such matters in her home.
Miss Martin looked after her, and sighed as she went out of the school, for she feared that the influence at home was not likely to help the girl to a right decision in the ordering of her life. And then her thoughts turned to her other scholar, and she decided to send for Mrs. Brown, and find out what truth there was in Jessie's report.
She knew the Browns had had a good deal of trouble. The father had been ill, and out of work for some time, and she knew that Eliza was delicate, and often under the doctor's care; but surely a managing woman like Mrs. Brown, with the help she would get now from Fanny's wages, would be able to get the girl decent clothes, so that she might have the benefit of the Vicar's kind offer; and she called Selina from her class, and told her to run home and ask her mother to come to the school at four o'clock, as she wanted to speak to her as soon as the girls were dismissed.
"I wonder what it can be!" said Eliza, anxiously, when she heard the message. "I hope it isn't to say I am not wanted, now we have got such a lot of things ready."
"You haven't got any new frocks," put in the chatterbox Selina.
"Never mind, they are coming, mother says," answered Eliza.
"Oh yes, they are coming!" said Mrs. Brown.
"The stuff will be here, I dare say, by the time I have finished all I have got to do. Now, run back and tell your governess I will come at four o'clock; and don't you chatter among the girls about things you hear at home," added Mrs. Brown, as Selina went out.