“Mr. Elliot is, indeed,” said she, in reply to Ellen, after a short pause, “worthy of you, as far as I have had an opportunity of judging, and that is saying a good deal, Ellen.  But I must tell you what I was thinking of, this morning, while I sat here alone.  You told me, the other day, that the children of the neighborhood were growing up in fearful ignorance, destitute, as they are, of a teacher, and I thought, if it met with the approbation of their parents, that I could not be more usefully or happily employed, during the time that must intervene before I have an opportunity of returning to my friends, than instructing those little ones, a few hours each day.  Our evenings, too, might be pleasantly occupied, for I overheard you, when I was lying ill, expressing a wish to know how to write, and these long winter evenings will afford abundant opportunity for your taking lessons, and any of your young companions, that may wish to join you.”

Ellen was delighted with the proposition, and warmly expressed her thanks, and Agnes’s wishes were speedily carried into effect.  A small unoccupied cottage was fitted up as a school-house, to which all the children of the neighborhood, far and near, daily repaired, while at night the young people of both sex filled the good-sized room of Mr. Williamson’s dwelling, thirsting for that instruction which Agnes was so willing to impart.  Nor did her efforts end here.  Of pastoral guidance these poor people were equally destitute; as sheep without a shepherd, they had long “stumbled on the dark mountains of sin and error,” but now each Sabbath morning found them congregated in the school-house, singing the hymns that some of them had learned in childhood, in their distant native lands, or listening to the sweet tones of their teacher and guide, as she explained, by many simple and touching illustrations, the sacred Word, or offered up the fervent prayer, which from her lips seemed to come with double power, and caused even the sturdy fishermen’s hearts to melt within them.  The afternoon of the sacred day was especially devoted to the children; classes were formed, over which the most intelligent members of the community presided, conspicuous among whom was Ellen, whose naturally quick and clever mind, brought into contact with one so superior as Agnes, rapidly developed, while her whole appearance gave indications of how much she had profited by constant intercourse with her youthful companion.

Ellen’s parents were not natives of the land in which she now resided.  They had come from one of the counties of England, when Ellen was little more than an infant; their original destination being Canada, but having been wrecked on the Newfoundland coast, and lost nearly all they possessed, they had not means to travel farther; and while Williamson gladly joined the fishermen in their occupation for the purpose of temporarily supplying the necessities of his family, his wife,—­who was a skilful needle woman, and clever at almost everything,—­made herself generally useful among their families, and thus acquired much influence over them.