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“Nothing but the neglect of Mr. Burgess to call upon Mr. C—-at once, as he promised to do, has prevented Lucy from getting the place!” she said, with the warmth of a just indignation. “A person who was present when Mr. B. called this morning, told me, that after he left Mr. C—-remarked to her that he was perfectly aware of Lucy’s high qualifications for teaching French, and would have been glad of her services had he known her wish to engage as an instructor, but that it was now too late, as he had on the day before employed a competent person to fill the situation.”

Lucy covered her face with her hands on hearing this, and gave way to a passionate burst of tears.

When Mr. Burgess came home at dinner-time, his wife said, immediately on his entrance, “Have you secured that place for Lucy Ellison, my dear? I hope you haven’t neglected it again.”

“I called upon Mr. C—-this morning,” replied the husband, “but found the vacancy already filled.”

“Oh, I am so sorry!” said Mrs. Burgess, speaking in a tone of deep regret. “When was it filled?”

“I didn’t inquire. Mr. C—-said that Lucy would have suited him exactly, but that her application came too late.”

“Poor thing! She will be (sic) terrbly disappointed,” said the wife.

“No doubt she will be disappointed, but I don’t know why it should be so very terrible to her. She had no right to be positively certain of obtaining the situation.”

“Have you heard any particulars of her mother’s situation?” inquired Mrs. Burgess.

“Nothing very particular. Have you?”

“Yes. Mrs. Lemmon called to see me this morning; she is an intimate friend of Mrs. Ellison. She told me that the small income which Mrs. Ellison has enjoyed since her husband’s death has, at the final settlement of his estate, been cut off, the estate proving to be utterly insolvent. A month has elapsed since she has been deprived of all means of living beyond the small sum of money that happened to be in her hands, an amount not over thirty or forty dollars. Since that time Lucy has been anxiously looking about for some kind of employment that would yield enough for the support of the family, to obtain which she was willing to devote every energy of body and mind. The vacancy in Mr. C—-‘s school is the first opening of any kind that has yet presented itself. For this she was fully competent, and the salary would have supported the family quite comfortably. It is too bad that she should not have obtained it. I am almost sure, if you had gone at once to see about it, that you might have obtained it for her.”

“Well, I was going to see about it at once, but something or other prevented me. If I really thought it was my fault, I should feel very bad.”

That afternoon accident made him fully acquainted with the fact that he, and he alone, was to blame in the matter, and then he felt bad enough.

“That dreadful habit of procrastination,” he murmured to himself, “is always getting me into trouble. If I alone were made to suffer, it would be no matter; but when it involves other people as it now does, it becomes a crime. In the present case I must make reparation in some way; but I must think how this is to be done.”

When any matter serious enough to call for the undivided attention of Mr. Burgess presented itself, that thing was generally done, and well done. He had great energy of character, and mental resources beyond what were ordinarily possessed. It was only when he felt the want of an adequate purpose that neglect became apparent.

On the morning after the day upon which Lucy and her mother had been so bitterly disappointed, the former, while looking over the newspaper, called the attention of the latter to an advertisement of a young lady who was desirous of obtaining a situation as a French teacher in some private family or seminary. The advertiser represented herself as being thoroughly versed in the principles of the language, and able to speak it as well as a native of Paris. The highest testimonials as to character, education, social standing, etc. would be given.