12 THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



Besides this, she had her sampler, that important 

 achievement of the properly brought up young lady 

 of the period, to work. Yet after all her duties were 

 done, she had leisure for her own pursuits. When 

 left to herself, it was her delight to wander along 

 the sea-shore, collecting shells, sea-weeds, and sea- 

 fowls' eggs. When the tide was low she took off 

 her shoes and stockings and waded among the rocks, 

 watching the crabs and marine animals ; she took 

 long rambles inland too, and made herself familiar 

 with the local names of the ferns and wild flowers. 

 On the blocks of limestone which were brought from 

 the neighbouring country to the little pier she noticed 

 marks of what seemed like the forms of leaves, but 

 she had no idea that these were fossils, and guessed 

 nothing of the glimpses they gave into conditions 

 long passed away. 



Bad weather was a great trial to Mary Fairfax. 

 At first she did not know how to occupy herself 

 when it occurred ; but after a time, to her great 

 delight, she discovered a small collection of books, 

 one of which was a " Shakespeare." These were eagerly 

 taken possession of and read at every spare moment. 

 Mary's mother did not prevent her from reading, but 

 evidently she did not approve of a girl " wasting her 

 time thus." So when a rather terrible " Aunt Janet " 

 appeared on the scene and expostulated, the girl was 

 sent to the village school to learn plain needlework. 

 But the mischief was done. The taste for reading 



