Charlotte hurried on; and her thoughts soon returned to the idea of the splendid radiating star which she designed for the centerpiece of her counterpane.  While she was arranging the different patterns, and forming the alternations of light and shade, her interest continued nearly unabated; but when she came to the practical part of sewing piece to piece with unvarying sameness, it began, as usual, to flag.  She sighed several times, and cast many disconsolate looks at the endless hexagons and octagons, before she indulged any distinct idea of relinquishing her task.  At length, however, it did forcibly occur to her that, after all, she was not obliged to go on with it; and that, really, patchwork was a thing that was better done by degrees, when one happens to want a job, than to be finished all at once.  So, with this thought (which would have been a very good one if it had occurred in proper time), she suddenly drew out her needle, thrust all her pieces, arranged and unarranged, into a drawer, and began to meditate a new project.

Fortunately, just at this juncture some young ladies of their acquaintance called upon Charlotte and Caroline.  They were attempting to establish a society among their young friends for working for the poor, and came to request their assistance.  Caroline very cheerfully entered into the design; but as for Charlotte, nothing could exceed the forwardness of her zeal.  She took it up so warmly that Caroline’s appeared, in comparison, only lukewarm.  It was proposed that each member of the society should have an equal proportion of the work to do at her own house; but when the articles came to be distributed, Charlotte, in the heat of her benevolence, desired that a double portion might be allotted to her.  Some of the younger ones admired her industrious intentions, but the better judging advised her not to undertake too much at once.  However, she would not be satisfied till her request was complied with.  When the parcels of work arrived, Charlotte with exultation seized the larger one, and without a minute’s delay commenced her charitable labors.  The following morning she rose at four o’clock, to resume the employment; and not a little self-complacency did she feel, when, after nearly two hours’ hard work, she still heard Caroline breathing in a sound sleep.  But, alas!  Charlotte soon found that work is work, of whatever nature, or for whatever purpose.  She now inwardly regretted that she had asked for more than her share; and the cowardly thought that after all she was not obliged to do it next occurred to her.  For the present, therefore, she squeezed all the things, done and undone, into what she called her “Dorcas bag;” and to banish unpleasant thoughts, she opened the first book that happened to lie within reach.  It proved to be “An Introduction to Botany.”  Of this she had not read more than a page and a half before she determined to collect some specimens herself; and having found a blank copy-book she hastened into the garden, where, gathering a few common flowers, she proceeded to dissect them, not, it is to be feared, with much scientific nicety.  Perhaps as many as three pages of this copy-book were bespread with her specimens before she discovered that botany was a dry study.