In arranging one’s life, it is well to take our Lord’s three divisions of Duty,—­Prayer, Alms, and Fasting,—­and see how our life and our plans stand this test.

Prayer.—­Under this head you would notice whether your daily prayers, and your attendance at the Holy Communion, were regular, and how you kept Sunday.

Alms.—­What proportion of your money do you give away?  You ought to give away one shilling out of every half-sovereign which you spend on yourself; and be sure you spend dress-money on dress, it is not honest to use it on charity, or books, and then to look shabby.

But money is only part of the giving which you owe:  ’Such as I have give I unto thee.’  What have you got?  You have got education.  There may be girls like yourself living near you who have less; could you not start some sensible reading together?  I remember delightful French and German and Dante readings when we lived in the country,—­eight or ten girls used to come regularly, and we all enjoyed it.

Are there no old people you could amuse in some way,—­possibly with whist?  Or rather lonely people (aunts sometimes), to whom you could write regularly; people like to be remembered, especially by the young!  As long as you are young your kindnesses are very much valued, and if you choose to be selfish instead, it is forgiven you, but, as you are in youth so you will be in middle life, therefore be careful.  As I heard Mr. Clifford say, “As long as you are young you may be selfish, or vain, or silly, and people love you all the same!  But, by the time you are thirty, people will begin to say they will not stand it any longer, and by the time you are forty or fifty you will be left to a lonely life!” So begin a kind life at once, and act towards all around you on the principle ’such as I have I give thee.’  Sometimes you can share your money, sometimes your pleasures, sometimes your education.  And remember that in the work and kindnesses which you do for others, you must put first and foremost what you do for your mother and father and home people. “Haus Teuffel, Strasse Engel” is a bad name.  The point of that text about ‘Corban, it is a gift,’ is, that you must not feel absolved from duties at home, because you do good works outside.  Find out some home duty you can do regularly, and stick to it.  I dare say your mother may not suggest any to you, because she wants you to have a good time, but think of her pleasure and amusement; mothers often talk as if they enjoyed being left at home, just to make more room for you.  Keep your eyes open, and find out what you can do to make life pleasanter to her.  Talk over your plans with her; often mothers do not realize that a girl wants to find duties and kind things to do, and so they only shower pleasures on her which do not satisfy her.

If there seems no special work for you, be on the look-out to do the things that other people do not like doing; that is the sort of person I like better than any other,—­the one who feels “somebody must do the tiresome work, why shouldn’t I?” Nothing you could do in the future would please me so much as if you lived by that motto; and, if you add to it a determination to make it quite a pleasure to your mother to find fault with you, you will do well!