CHAPTER XIV.

WHERE THE SNOWDROP WENT.

"Your voiceless lips, O flowers! are living preachers,
Each cup a pulpit, and each leaf a book,
Supplying to my fancy numerous teachers

From loveliest nook."

I must

To-mor

Nell and

NLY a quarter-past seven," said Alice L'Estrange, as, holding her little watch close to the window, she tried by the grey light of a winter morning's dawn to see the time. "Yes, just a quarter-past seven. get up, or I shall not have time to do it. row will be the last day of the holidays. Harry, perhaps, will be going away by the afternoon train; I have only to-day." She then began to dress very quietly, fearing to disturb Nell, who was still fast asleep, or waken nurse who was in the next room. Alice found it rather difficult work all alone, by the grey light, to brush and comb

her thick hair which nurse generally did for her; still, by patience, she succeeded, and as the hall clock struck eight, she was completely dressed, and all ready to go downstairs, after kneeling by her little bed, to pray her morning prayer, and repeat over her motto twice, which she did earnestly, for Alice was trying to be like the little pilgrim boy, and she was not trying in vain.

Slowly, step by step, she descended the great staircase, went to the hall, took down her garden hat, and, wrapping a large shawl about her, was trying to unlock the door, when a voice said, "Miss Alice, what is the matter? Where are you going?"

"Into the garden, Phillips."

"But you have no idea how cold it is, Miss Alice. Tell me what you want to know about the flowers, and I'll go out and bring you word," said the kind old butler, who had lived in the family for many a year, and was ever ready to add to Alice's happiness by any act of service.

"Thank you, Phillips; I would rather go myself. I only want to go as far as my own garden."

"Not to work there, Miss Alice, this cold winter morning?"

"No, no," said Alice laughing, as she ran down

the steps. Then as she walked on, she murmured to herself, "I do hope there will be even one little snowdrop. I know there are many in the large garden, but I would rather have one of my own."

And the little snowdrop was waiting to welcome Alice. She stooped over it saying, "Beautiful, almost as beautiful as the snow, yet I must pull you." She did so, and then returned quickly to the house, where she found Phillips waiting to open the door for her. As she entered, he took off the shawl, saying

"Now, Miss Alice, step into the parlour, and stand by the fire for a few minutes."

"But my flower, I want to put it in water at once, Phillips."

"Well, Miss Alice, you think more of the flowers than you do of yourself. But give it to me, and I'll put it in water for you with pleasure."

He soon returned with the snowdrop in a glass of water. As Alice caught sight of it, she exclaimed, "Oh! it looks lovelier than ever. Thank you very much, Phillips. I must carry it upstairs now."

When Alice reached her own room, she placed the glass with her treasure on the table. Opening her desk, she took out some note paper and a

pencil, found her paint-box, and then sat down at the table. Many, many, were the attempts she made to draw the snowdrop, yet she was not satisfied. The stem was either too thick or too thin, and the flower not quite the right shape. Alice was beginning to despair, one bright drop had even fallen on the paper, when Nell came behind her, saying

"O Alice! why are you crying? Do not, darling Alice," and Nell knelt down beside her cousin, and put her two arms round Alice's neck.

"You will not tell-will you?" said Alice, as she covered the paper she had been drawing on with her hand.

"Not tell what, Alice?"

"What I am doing."

"I do not know, Alice, perhaps you would rather not tell me," replied Nell gently.

"I think I would. Will you help me, even if I do not tell you?" said Alice eagerly.

"Indeed I will, Alice, if I can.”

"Did you ever paint, Nell?”

"I have tried sometimes, Alice, since papa gave me a paint-box; but I have often been in the schoolroom at home when Florry has had her painting lesson from Mr Brocas."

"Did she paint snowdrops?" asked Alice eagerly.

"I think she only learns oil paintings now, but I remember once she did some beautiful camellias."

"And they were white like my snowdrop, were they not, Nell? How did she do them?"

"On some dark grey paper. They looked much better than on white; Mr Brocas said so."

"Oh! I am sure they would. Oh, thank you, Nell. I never thought of that. Come now, let us get ready for breakfast, and afterwards I will ask papa to give me some dark paper. But, Nell, you will not say one word," added Alice, whose tears had vanished, while imagining how her snowdrop would look on its dark paper.

A few minutes after breakfast, Alice, Nell, Charlie, and Harry, met as usual in the schoolroom for their scripture half hour with Mrs L'Estrange. They had each learned their morning verse from the Bible, repeated it, and were just separating the boys to out-door amusements, and Nell and Alice to their mysterious undertaking upstairs, when the latter remembered she had not practised. So back Alice went to the schoolroom, for the promise made to Miss Dudley, to practise