It is when the English girl keeps nothing back, withholds no part of her heart's love, that she knows something of the blessedness of being filled with the fulness of Him who filleth all in all. It is when she realises somewhat the purpose of His will concerning the richness and power of her own life, that she will seek more earnestly to become all that her special calling as an English girl requires she should be. No longer tempted to fret at the narrow limits of her sphere of usefulness, or to bemoan that as a woman her powers of helpfulness are kept under and controlled, she will accept the noble mission of her life as from the hands of God, and learn that, whether at home, in society, or in the special work assigned her, she may at all times do the will and live to the praise of Him who sent her into the world full of the glorious power of blessing it by her presence, and making it better by her life.

Thomas à Kempis says, "Thou shalt always have joy in the evening, if thou hast spent the day well," and the English girl has only to fill her day with the life which is hers to live, to gather to herself the evening joy which comes as the reward of well-doing. That the power

to live and the right to enjoy will follow the perfect consecration of the heart to Him who asks her love, the English girl will hold as a truth when she has sought to test the fact by a life of experience. In the meanwhile, happy is she if the language of her deepest yearnings and her highest desires may be expressed in the words of one who says:—

"In full and glad surrender,

I give myself to Thee,
Thine utterly and only,

And evermore to be.

O! Son of God who lovest me,
I would be Thine alone;

And all I am, and all I have,

From henceforth be Thine own."

THEIR SPECIAL WORK.

PART III.

THE English girl's special work, while largely existing among the poor, is in no sense limited to that sphere. Always on the alert to discover the special needs of anyone and everyone about her, she is never slow to adapt herself to the wants of others. Any great monopoly of time or call for self-denial is more than compensated for in the pleasure experienced in

"The gentle luxury of doing good."

To give a music-lesson to a young girl whose parents cannot afford to pay for the cultivation of a taste or talent which will materially help forward their daughter's future work in life, as nursery governess or teacher of the younger children at home; to give an hour or two in the week to teach an invalid to sketch or paint, or to initiate her in the art of some new work which can be easily accomplished by apt fingers; to take the place of one confined to a sick room in watchful attendance, who has left for

an hour or two to get air and exercise, and, what is most needed to keep heart and brain vigorous, the change of scene and thought;-all this will come quite naturally to the English girl as a part of her special work, while from time to time opportunities will arise and claims be recognised in homes where, as friend or neighbour, she gained admittance as a welcome guest. In these homes, it may be, she will learn by intuitive tact that there are circumstances and conditions which she herself may help to brighten and bless. To do this without conveying the impression that she is conferring a favour, or without wounding those whom she longs to help, the English girl will have to "tread softly." But it will be given her how best to show her sympathy; and suggestions which, when clumsily made, might be resented as interference, when put with gentle care and kindest thought for the feelings of others, will be received with gratitude if not with warmth.

Thus the mother who grieves over the fact that owing to the smallness of the income as compared with the largeness of the family, Ellen or Sophia must leave school just at an age when she is most likely to profit by instruction,

receives with a heart-bound of joy the English girl's timely suggestion that her daughter should come at stated hours during the week and join her in her studies at home; while the assurance that "two can get on so much better than one," that English literature will be read with greater benefit, French, German, or Italian studied with more lasting profit, music or singing practised with truer enjoyment where the lessons are shared rather than learnt alone, will remove at once any uncomfortable feeling about "trespassing upon good nature," or that of putting oneself under some painful obligation, and will help to make easy the acceptance of even larger gifts of time and thought. And to the busy mother who, with her many little people about her, is ever planning and scheming to do sixteen hours' work in the time of twelve, the English girl will come with a gentle suggestion, which shall at once ease the heavy burden resting upon willing but wearied shoulders: "Give me the privilege of teaching your little children to read. See! I can well spare the time, and would greatly enjoy the occupation. No thanks are needed, since it is myself, not you, upon whom a favour is conferred!"