Mr. Lloyd presented to the school. He said, his subscription was so much enlarged, that he must engage an assistant; but, as he wished to purchase some maps, he must get one who could furnish, at least, one hundred dollars. His sick wife and large family, he said, consumed nearly all his profits; and last, and best of all, Jane, he said, that you was the person he should prefer of all others for an assistant."
"Me!" exclaimed Jane.
"Yes, my dear child, you. I told him, you was not quite fifteen; but he said, you knew more than most young women of twenty, and almost all the school loved and respected you."
"But, Mary, Mary," and the bright flush of pleasure died away as she spoke, "where am I to get a hundred dollars?"
"Mr. Lloyd," answered Mary, "I know would furnish it."
"No, Mary," replied Jane, after a few moments consideration, "I never can consent to that."
"But why?" said Mary. "Mr. Lloyd spends all his money in doing good."
Jane could not tell why, but she felt that it was not delicate to incur such an obligation. She merely said, "Mr. Lloyd's means are welt employed. If any man does, he certainly will, hear those blessed words, 'I was hungry and ye fed me, naked and ye clothed me, sick and in prison and ye visited me.'"
"I do not eat the bread of idleness, Mary; I think I earn all my aunt gives me; and I am not
