8 THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



her father was at home he was accustomed to spend a 

 good deal of time in the garden, cultivating flowers, 

 for he was an excellent florist, and little Mary learnt 

 from him how to lay carnations, prune fruit trees, and 

 distinguish good plants from worthless ones. 



For the most part, however, during the childhood 

 of his daughter, the kind father was away at sea, and 

 Mary was left very much to her own devices. Money 

 was not over plentiful in the household, therefore 

 strict economy had to be observed. During the 

 father's absence, the mother, with her two children, 

 lived at Burntisland, a small seaport on the coast of 

 Fife. The house in which they dwelt must have been 

 a charming old-fashioned residence. It was covered 

 with moss roses in front, and the garden was of a good 

 size, and stretched down to some black rocks which 

 were washed by the sea. It was exactly the sort of 

 place for an original child like Mary to be happy in. 



Mary's mother taught her to read, and also to say 

 her prayers morning and evening ; but, with this 

 exception, the child's education was much neglected. 

 The Bible was the chief lesson-book, and Mary's 

 mother had a great reverence for the Bible ; indeed, 

 she read nothing else, excepting some sermons 

 occasionally and the newspaper. A very curious 

 circumstance, showing this mother's regard for the 

 Bible, seems to have made a great impression on 

 her talented daughter. Mrs. Fairfax was exceed- 

 ingly afraid of thunder and lightning. When she 



