“Many a boy such as Dick owes his salvation to the school he now is in.
“By the way, did you notice Annie, my little servant?”
“Yes, ma’am,” and a smile came to Flo’s face at the remembrance of the bright, pleasant-looking handmaiden.
“She has given me leave to tell you something, Flo; something of her own history.
“Once my dear, faithful Annie was a little London thief—a notorious little London thief. She knew of no God, she knew of nothing good—she was not even as fortunate as you and Dick were, for she had no mother to keep her right. When not quite ten years old she was concerned in a daring city robbery—she was taken up—convicted—and at last sentenced, first for a month to Wandsworth House of Correction, afterwards for four years to the girls’ reformatory school at that place.
“She has often told me what happened to her on the day she arrived at this school. She went there hating every one, determined never to change her ways, to remain for ever hardened and wicked.
“The matron called her aside and spoke to her thus:
”‘I know what is said of you, but I do not believe half of it—I am going to trust you.
”‘Here is a five-pound note; take this note to such a shop, and bring me back four sovereigns in gold, and one in silver.’
“That noble trust saved the girl. At that moment, as she herself said, all inclination for thieving utterly left her. (A fact.) From that day to this she has never touched a farthing that is not strictly her own. You see what she is now in appearance; when you know her better, you will see what she is in character—a true Christian—a noble woman. All the nobler for having met and conquered temptation.”