Rachel Gray

divine did not banish the human from her heart; and she had friends known to her, but fro

ng and knowledge; yet they liked to hear Rachel singing hymns in a low voice; they even caught from her, scraps of verses, and sang them in their own fashion; and when Rachel, hearing this, took courage to open a conversation with them, and to te

house, a narrow court, inhabited by the poorest of the poor. Over part of this court, Mrs. Gray's back windows commande

damp cellar opposite, the abode of a little old French

ue, which she exercised mostly in her native language-not that Madame Rose could not speak English; she had resided some fifteen years in London, and could say 'yes' and 'no,' &c., quite fluently. Her attire looked peculiar, in this co

liceman in keeping the carriages in order. She darted in and out, among wheels and horses, with reckless audacity; and once, to the infinite wrath of a fat liveried coachman, she suspended herself-she was rather short-from the aristocratic reins he held, and boldly attempted to turn the heads of his horses. On week days, Madame Rose stayed in her cellar, and knitted. It was this part of her life which Rachel knew, and it was the most beautiful; for this little, laughed-at being, who l

e feet of the Lord, and, looking up, listen, rapt and absorbed, to the divine teaching. But the spirit of Martha, t

mere curiosity. She looked with the artistic pleasure we feel, when we gaze at some clearly-painted Dutch picture, with its back-ground of soft gloom, and its homely details of domestic life, relieved by touches of brilliant light. Poor as this cellar was, a painter would have liked it well; he would surely have delighted in the brown and

th tokens of recognition, whenever she caught sight of her, far or near. She now nodded in friendly style, laughed, nodded again, and with that communicativeness which formed part of her character, successively displayed every article of her supper for Rachel's inspection. Firs

last guest, an old and infirm woman, having died of old age; but, since the preceding day, she had taken in a new tenant-an idiot girl, of some fourteen

Madame Rose armed herself with a long handled spoon, and standing before it-she was too short to sit-she deliberately poured a sufficient quantity of onion s

heard her mother calling her from below, until t

ou doing up there?" aske

f the staircase; "m

ad gone up for the purpose of thinking? Mrs. Gray had no such suspicion, fortunately; else she would surely have been horror-struck at the m

ur had looked in. Gossip, flavoured with scandal-e

so?" exclaimed Mrs. Brown, wh

ed it, that I couldn't!

. G

uld," sneered the neighbour, wh

ne had

," she said, givin

asked Mary, letting he

tartly replied Jane. "Ju

ain down on the u

ain't been here! You never heard such a story as has come out about that little staymaker, Humpy, as I call her. Why, she's be

loftily a

. She hoped that the story was, at least, finished and over; but if it was, the commenta

and not listen. She succeeded so well that she onl

why don't you

th a start, and said

dn't hear you

observed Mrs. Brown, winking

ot, indeed," replie

Brown, laughing outright; "w

perplexed; "yet, perhaps, I am;

un of you?" impatiently observed Jane. "Why, Mr

a witty one. But Mrs. Gray, who was a touchy woman, was not pleased; and no sooner were her ami

laugh at you. They wouldn't take the liberty. No one ever laughed at me, I can tell you

were not the first to make little of me, would others dare to do so?" but she remembered

to bed," peevi

ear," gently r

l," observed Mrs. Gray

achel; "and I promised Mr. Jone

" drily said Jane, as t

a knock came at the door. Jane opened, and a rosy, good-humoured looking man entered the parlour. He was about forty, short, stout, with rather a

ed, Mr. Jones," sa

hope. Miss Gray," he excla

ired. I am sorry you have ha

g his moist brow, he added-"the walk does me good, and then I hear how she i

tick, and looking over it, smiled abstractedly at hi

nk of the state of t

ed puzzled, hemmed, and at length

e, politics only brings a poor man into trouble

saw them-they passed by here. How thi

to give an opinion on any subject unconnected with dress-making-

you hold your tongue, and speak of what

ity with which Mrs. Gray emphasized her address. Rachel was rather bewildered, for she was not conscious of having said a word on

" resumed Mrs. Gray,

hastily replied. "I mind my own business-that's what

eplied that lady. "You

Jo

kely Mr. Jo

ng with a half-stifled sigh, "for it's ge

re their supper, he left Rachel lighted him out. As she closed the parl

ee her, could

er with such beseeching eyes-he wished for it so very much. Kindness prevailed over fear; she smiled,

haded her pale young face, now slightly flushed with sleep. Her father bent over her with fond love, keeping in his breath. Rachel held the light; she turned her head

s softly withdrew, a

l, as she opened the door for him, "but it m

d, by a ten miles walk after a day's har

hought Rachel Gray; and though it had not been her lot to win that love, the thought w

ever heard of su