In two years from the time that Isabella went to London, she returned
from school, improved in appearance and manners, well qualified for
assisting Jane in the management of their new establishment, and, though
aware of the importance of the situation she was to fill, as simple,
affectionate, and sweet-tempered as ever. All was in readiness for them
to set out on their new way of life after Christmas. Jane and Mr
Barker had fixed on a pleasant small house, in a good situation, in the
middle of the city. Jane was sorry to be obliged to take so important a
step as engaging a house, without either Charles's or Isabella's
sanction; but with such a friend as Mr Barker at hand, her choice could
not be much amiss. Happily, Charles was allowed the seasonable pleasure
of a week's holiday at Christmas, and he accordingly visited his sisters
after they had removed, and just before they opened their school. The
arrangement of the house pleased him much. The large school-room was
ornamented with their pretty little library, and with a very handsome
pair of globes, which Mr and Mrs Everett had presented to Jane as a
parting gift, when she quitted the situation in their family which she
had filled with so much credit to herself and satisfaction to them. The
little parlour was fitted up with plain new furniture, which had been
purchased with the remains of the funds which the friends of the young
people had raised for their education, on the death of their father.
One year's schooling for Alfred was all that remained to be defrayed, as
Harriet was to receive the rest of her education from her sisters, and
Mr Barker thought that what was left could not be better applied than
in the purchase of furniture for the parlour and school-room. The
twenty-five guineas which the girls had themselves earned was the means
of procuring them a good piano-forte; a thing which was quite necessary
in their new establishment, but which could not at present have been
afforded if their own industry had not given them the means.
Their number of pupils was at first ten, and they wished to increase it
to twenty. The school hours were from nine till three; an hour being
allowed in the middle of the time for a walk in fine weather, and play
within doors when it rained.
By this means, Jane and Isabella secured the whole afternoon and evening
to themselves, and their purpose was to devote a portion of it regularly
to their own improvement. If they could obtain the appointed number of
scholars, their income, though small, would be amply sufficient for
their wants, without any assistance from Charles. He would not hear of
this, but insisted on their accepting twenty pounds the first year, and
afterwards ten pounds a year for Alfred, till he too should become
independent.
It may be imagined with what pleasure Charles saw his sisters thus
established, and with how much gratitude he looked on their present
situation and future prospects. These feelings were confirmed by a
letter which he received from Jane a few weeks after she had begun to
experience the toils and satisfactions of school keeping.
"Our employments," she said, "afford just the anxieties and pleasures
which we expected from them. I find less fatigue in my present
duties, arduous as they are, than in my situation of daily governess,
and Isabella is indefatigable. The children are very fond of her.
She seems peculiarly fitted to engage their affections, and that is
the grand point of all. We have difficulty in establishing sufficient
order and quietness, without introducing formality, which, of all
things, we wish to avoid; but in time we hope to get over this, and
all our other little difficulties. Our difficulties are all _little_
ones now, and the delightful consciousness of independence which
attends us, animates all our exertions, and makes every day pass
happily.
"We feel as if a great weight were taken off our minds, now that we
are at liberty to use our powers for our own support, instead of being
burdensome to others. You have long known and enjoyed this feeling;
to us it is new and inexpressibly delightful. For the future we have
no fears, and no further desires than to go on living as we are living
now, only with the additional satisfaction of seeing that our
endeavours to be useful are not in vain. Think what it will be, dear
Charles, to send our pupils into the world with firm principles,
cultivated minds, and amiable manners, fitted to perform their duties,
and to do good in their turn. Is not this a satisfaction worth
working for? Is not this an end worthy of all our pains, of the
employment of all our powers in its accomplishment? Our heavenly
Father has blessed us in various ways, in so many that it makes my
heart swell with gratitude to think over the few years of our orphan
life, and our present situation: but surely, if He makes us the means
of administering religious and moral blessings to others of His
offspring, his _last_ will be his _best_ gift. If we can always feel
this, we shall be always happy; but we must not expect that it can be
so. We shall meet with much disappointment: we shall have to lament
the ill success of our labours in some instances, and, in all, shall
feel occasional humiliation that we have not done more, instead of
complacency that we have done so much: besides, there is a kind of
ardour and enthusiasm in us just at present, which will subside in
some degree after a time, and make us more painfully aware than we are
now, of the difficulties and labours of our employments. We are,
however, abundantly happy at present, and full of hope for the future.
"One reason why I write to you to-day, instead of at the regular time,
is, that you may know, as soon as possible, that Alfred has gained
great honour at the school examinations this week. He has taken his
place pretty high in the next class, and when Mr Barker called on Mr
--, to settle the school-account, he was pleased to hear very high
praise of Alfred. Mr Monteath is very kind to him: he asked him to
dinner last week, and made him very happy. Alfred likes the idea of
being in the warehouse much, and I am glad he knows what he has to
look forward to. I have heard, through the Miss Monteaths, of two
more pupils who are to come to us at Midsummer, and Mrs Franklin has
told us that an application is about to be made for another, at the
same time, from a friend of hers: so we are likely to begin with
fifteen next half-year.
"Mr and Mrs H. Monteath return from Scotland in a week or two.
Their house is very near ours, and they have frequently expressed a
wish that we may be good neighbours. This will be a great privilege
to us and to you in your occasional visits. I think you will
henceforth be able to come once a year, and it is possible, that if we
go on prosperously, you may see us in London some time or other. We
have no plan at present for any thing of the kind; but it would
certainly be a great advantage to Isabella to have lessons from London
masters occasionally. This, however, must be left to the future to
arrange. In the mean time, we are very happy that so many of us have
been allowed to live together. I once thought that we should be all
dispersed: you where you are; Isabella as a private governess; Alfred
in India; and myself--I did not know where. But now four out of five
of us are living under one roof, and with no fear of being separated.
O what a privilege! But I must stop my pen. I sat down intending to
shew you how happy we are. Have I succeeded? If I have, join me in
thanksgivings to the `Father of the fatherless,'
"I am your most affectionate,--
"Jane Forsyth."