Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1907-11-09 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

TERM 0  [CHILDREN'S STORY. iiremaystr-i-mmegGvo N. SC ' APES . 046: .e.) „. By Hamilton Orton. n . . ~ quite as bad as murder. I think—nay, indeed, it's worse, for its done in cold blood." "0, you can't make me think any worse of myself than 1 do," replied Effie quietly. "I'm all that you say, and a great deal worse. There never was a girl so bad as I am., and I hope there never will be again." "0, leave the child alone, Juliet," cried a second class girl. "It's quite bad enough to have one's own conscience, without other's adding to it. "Some people have no consciences," replied Juliet. "I don't believe Effie has." The words fell like dull blows upon the child's heart. "it's all true," she said to herself. "They don't male me out one hit too bad." She was dressed at last—that simple task of dressing, which always seems such a burden when one is ill or in trouble.  Blanche had been removed into Miss Earnshaw's room, and, as Effie passed, she could hear the moaning little voice, and stopped to listen. "I can't walk, Ellie," the child was saying, " cold, oh, so cold," and the voice broke off in a sob. Effie turned away. The burning tears had rushed to her eyes, her heart was hreakiur Everyone looked askance at the fourth class at breakfast. Miss Earnshaw didn't appear, and Fanny carried on a whispered conversation with the next girl. " It's all through Effie," she said. "I believe auntie's going to expel her after this. She's been the death of poor, dear little Blanche." "Why have you become so profuse in your adjectives," asked Julie, leaning across the table. "Why, was Blanche never anything but a little plague until to-day. If the child is dying for want of anything—it is for the want of love. 0, I don't wonder at at. I should not care to keep my eyes open to a future like hers." Julie had noticed Effie's white face, and haunted looking eyes. When breakfast was over she hunted her out, and her arms went sympathetically round her.  "Poor, poor Effie," she said. "This is the worst scrape of all. If only Blanche gets well you will begin again, I know you will." "But Blanche will never get well," replied Effie. "I know ahe won.'t. This has to be my punishment. Everything else had no effect. I was always resolving to be good—and yet I was led away by the slightest thing. Oh, Julie, I have been horribly weak. I have been like some of the characters papa writes about. I always hated them in the books, but I've acted exactly the same."  "We are all weak until we have learnt the lessons of life," replied Julie, seriously. "It is these lessons which make our charaoers. If you had never come to silhool, Effie, if you had always stayed at home with your father, you would never have been tried; and much in your character would never have been developed. A school is what we like to make it. 'You were the general of the fourth class, and if you had ruled for good they woula have followed in your steps. You have a strong character, Effie, and a winsome way with you. You can make goodne&s, beautiful, and you can tempt, and make wrong-doing the same. When once you have taken up the banner of goodness, and said, 'I will not rest until all these girls are under the banner,' you are the one to revolutionise the school."  She was going to hurry away to the many lessons awaiting her, but Effie clung pleadingly to her hand. There was something so strong and noble in this character that the child felt comforted as they talked together. "Do you ever feel tempted to do wrong, Julie?" she asked, remembering Fanny's words. "Very often," replied tbe girl, quietly. We have far more temptations than you little ones guess. Then I have enemies here which make it the harder. Tales often reach me of things I have dcrne. But if our consciences are clear we need not mind it. No doubt Fanny has told you many a tale about me. The same old thing happens whenever a new girl comes. My character is tossed up and down like a ball. But we rmist be bricks, and bear it, for noneof those tales can make  us either worse or better than we are so long as our hearts are right in the sight of God.* Then the girl stooped and kissed Effie, and hurried away.  --(*)