Page:Women worth emulating (1877) Internet Archive.djvu/120

104, to regulate her house in the fear of the Lord. Her discretion and sweetness prevented her pious plans from annoying the duke, who did not then see as she saw; but instead of his being estranged, his affections were increased, for he knew that lofty principle guided her actions. When calamities came—as a fire that destroyed one wiug of Gordon Castle, and a great flood that not only devastated the duke's property but injured his poorer tenantry—he said in his grief, "I have been unfortunate in everything except a good wife"

The establishment of schools on her estate was the first work of benevolence on which the duchess entered. In these she took deep interest, visiting them herself and questioning the children, the infant school especially. A pretty incident is recorded of a visit once made to the latter. She took a bright little boy on her lap, and put the question, to the children who gathered round her knees, "What does Jesus mean where He says, 'Except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven?'" Nothing is harder some-times (even to far elder folks than were listening to the duchess) than a definition, and therefore it is not surprising that she failed to get an answer. Turning to the child on her lap, she repeated the question; and he said, "A little child kens (knows) that it can do naething its lane" (alone, or of itself). It certainly was a beautiful exposition, never to be forgotten by the noble lady who once again heard