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When she got home, her mother was sitting close over the fire, her pipe in her mouth, and the room filled with smoke. Jessy left the door a little open, to clear it away.

'What are you leaving the door open for?' asked her mother in a scolding tone of voice.

'For the smoke, mother. I cannot take out this fine clean work till it has cleared away a little.'

'Wark! -- wark!' scolded out her mother; 'you and your wark are mair fash than if ye maintained the whole family. One time the door maunna be open for your cough, and anither time it maunna be shut for your wark. Shut it this minute, I tell ye, and just find some ither place to live in, if ye maun hae sae mony fikes, and mak naething after a'.'

Jessy's heart filled, and she could not speak for a little. She then said, 'Mother, I have been thinking of doing as you say. I have been thinking, if I had another place to live in, I could maintain myself. At any rate, I will not any longer be a burden to you. -- I trust the Lord will provide for me.'

'Oh! ay, begin to preach, ye can aye do that at ony rate, and much good it has done you,' said her mother scornfully.

'I am going to take a room, and try to maintain myself, mother,' said Jessy more firmly; 'and whatever the Lord sees fit for me he will send. I have cause to say, that knowing him has done me much good; and now I am going to give up every earthly trust, and rest only in him.'

Mrs. Grey looked up in Jessy's face: 'What's a' this, Jessy? What is it you mean?'

'I mean, mother, just what I have said, -- I cannot work here. You know I have already had some things so much dirtied, that I was ashamed to take them back. I cannot expect always to be let pass without being made answerable, as the other workers are, for such accidents. My health and strength are failing, so that I cannot go out to the shop. You say that I need not look to you to maintain me; I am therefore going to try what I can do for myself, and leave the future with God.'

'A fine story, indeed!' said Mrs Grey, not believing that Jessy was in earnest. Jessy assured her that she was, and said it would be a pleasure to her to have her free consent.

'Consent! you are most welcome to do as you like,' replied her mother; 'we'll see if we hear of this again. Consent! mind, do not say it was want of my consent kept you at home.'

In a few days the room was taken, and a little bed which the mistress had lent Jessy money to purchase, and some other little necessary articles, were placed in it. On Saturday she received her wages, and work for another week. She then returned home, and giving her mother half of the money, bade her good-night; and, promising to see her next day, took her small bundle of clothes, and had reached her own little room, before her mother had recovered from her surprise.

Mary Scott had busied herself in making this little room as comfortable as possible. It had been newly white-washed, and the floor made nicely clean, and now a good fire gave it a most cheerful appearance. To be sure, all the furniture in it was a bed, a small deal table, a stool, and some other trifling articles; but all were perfectly clean and orderly, and to Jessy her new abode seemed delightful. Mary and she had some pleasant conversation together, and, before they parted, read a portion of Scripture.

When Mary was gone, poor Jessy could not help thinking of her mother, and the thought was indeed a sad one; yet she felt satisfied, that leaving her was her last and only resource. And after having poured out her heart to God, she lay down in peace and slept.

Next day was the Sabbath, and a blessed and peaceful Sabbath it was to Jessy. She and Mary went to the house of God together; and when public worship was over, she could in peace spend her hours of retirement in the duties of that holy day.

Early on Monday morning, Jessy, after having asked the blessing and presence of God, and read a portion of Scripture, sat down to work. There was a good window in her room. It looked eastward, and as she was high up stairs, this window overlooked most of the houses between it and Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags. Jessy loved to look at those towering rocky hills, as a bright morning sun now glowed upon them. It also shone cheerily into her own little room, and her heart rose in gratitude to that glorious Being who created its pleasant beams.

Mary joined Jessy early in the day, bringing her stool and work with her; and they sat and worked together, and the Bible open between them, that, as they talked, the one or other might occasionally read a verse or two, and then they would seek together to find out its true and practical meaning.

In the middle of the day, Jessy visited her mother. She prayed God, as she went, to turn her heart to receive her kindly, for she shrunk from her harshness. Mrs. Grey was in pretty good humour, and promised, before Jessy came away, to go and see her in her 'fine new house,' as she called it; but added, 'Mind, Jessy, this is your own fancy, and if it brings you to ruin, ye need not look to me for help.'