At this juncture the door opened, and Mrs. Santon brushed rudely in; “welladay! is this your usual morning’s occupation?  Miss Grosvenor, I think you should have more wisdom than to be petting a spoiled child!  I imagine that I shall have as much as I shall care to undertake, to undo the mischief which is already too apparent.  It has been as much as I could do for the last two hours, to get things a little in order; but I suppose I need not look for assistance here,” she scornfully said, and turned to leave the room.  Winnie had it upon her tongue’s end to reply, “My father employs his servants to keep his house in order, and they have never failed to give satisfaction,” but biting her lip, the thought died away.  Natalie arrested Mrs. Santon’s steps, saying, “Winnie and myself will consider it a pleasure to assist you, and whatever we can do at any time for your enjoyment, we shall be most happy to do it.”  The hard-hearted woman quailed a little, at the Sea-flower’s proffered assistance, and Natalie accompanied her to the upper drawing-room, wondering much what could have given offence to her ideas of a well-regulated house; for under the housekeeper’s scrupulous care, everything was kept in the nicest order.  Desiring Natalie to assist her in the disposal of some articles, she directed Winnie to find some out-of-the-way place, and to stow away the rubbish which she would find in the next apartment, pointing to the room which had been her mother’s, and which Winnie had not permitted any one to disturb, since her death.  Everything had been left just as she had left it, even some withered flowers had not been removed, and the book from which she had read, had been left opened at the place her eye had last looked upon.  This room had been kept as a place sacred to Winnie’s heart, and indeed the very servants passed it by with a blessing on their departed mistress; and it was now with trembling steps that Winnie, hardly realizing what had been said to her, followed in the direction which the cruel woman had pointed.  She opened the door, and sank fainting into a chair!  In the middle of the floor were the very clothes which her mother had worn, with other articles thrown together in a pile! her mother’s portrait had been removed, and the room was otherwise in disorder.  Natalie ran to Winnie’s assistance, bathing her temples, and smoothing back her long tresses with tenderness.  Just at that moment Mr. Santon entered the room; he looked at his daughter! at the disordered apartment of his buried wife, which he had never held more sacred, and he looked at Mrs. Santon!  Without speaking a word he left the room.  Poor Winnie! this is indeed life’s lesson! but thou art learning to “suffer and be strong.”