been two others, both boys, who had come into the world between Augusta and Jeannie, but they had both preceded their father to the land of shadows.  Mrs. Smithers, had, fortunately for herself, a life interest in a sum of L7000, which, being well invested, brought her in L350 a year:  and, in order to turn this little income to the best possible account and give her two girls the best educational opportunities possible under the circumstances, she, on her husband’s death, moved from the village where he had for many years been curate, into the city of Birmingham.  Here she lived in absolute retirement for some seven years and then suddenly died, leaving the two girls, then respectively nineteen and eight years of age, to mourn her loss, and, friendless as they were, to fight their way in the hard world.

Mrs. Smithers had been a saving woman, and, on her death, it was found that, after paying all debts, there remained a sum of L600 for the two girls to live on, and nothing else; for their mother’s fortune died with her.  Now, it will be obvious that the interest arising from six hundred pounds is not sufficient to support two young people, and therefore Augusta was forced to live upon the principal.  From an early age, however, she (Augusta) had shown a strong literary tendency, and shortly after her mother’s death she published her first book at her own expense.  It was a dead failure and cost her fifty-two pounds, the balance between the profit and loss account.  After awhile, however, she recovered from this blow, and wrote “Jemima’s Vow,” which was taken up by Meeson’s; and, strange as it may seem, proved the success of the year.  Of the nature of the agreement into which she entered with Meeson’s, the reader is already acquainted, and he will not therefore be surprised to learn that under its cruel provisions Augusta, notwithstanding her name and fame, was absolutely prohibited from reaping the fruits of her success.  She could only publish with Meesons’s, and at the fixed pay of seven per cent on the advertised price of her work.  Now, something over three years had elapsed since the death of Mrs. Smithers, and it will therefore be obvious that there was not much remaining of the six hundred pounds which she had left behind her.  The two girls had, indeed, lived economically enough in a couple of small rooms in a back street; but their expenses had been enormously increased by the serious illness, from a pulmonary complaint, of the little girl Jeannie, now a child between twelve and thirteen years of age.  On that morning, Augusta had seen the doctor and been crushed into the dust by the expression of his conviction, that, unless her little sister was moved to a warmer climate, for a period of at least a year, she would not live through the winter, and might die at any moment.

Take Jeannie to a warmer climate!  He might as well have told Augusta to take her to the moon.  Alas, she had not the money and did not know where to turn to get it!  Oh! reader, pray to Heaven that it may never be your lot to see your best beloved die for the want of a few hundred pounds wherewith to save her life!