She was not in spirits to raise her father's tone of mind. The dreary peacefulness of the present time had been preceded by so long a period of anxiety and care--even intermixed with storms--that her mind had lost its elasticity. She tried to find herself occupation in teaching the two younger Boucher children, and worked hard at goodness; hard, I say most truly, for her heart seemed dead to the end of all her efforts; and though she made them punctually and painfully, yet she stood as far off as ever from any cheerfulness; her life seemed still bleak and dreary. The only thing she did well, was what she did out of unconscious piety, the silent comforting and consoling of her father. Not a mood of his but what found a ready sympathiser in Margaret; not a wish of his that she did not strive to forecast, and to fulfil. They were quiet wishes to be sure, and hardly named without hesitation and apology. All the more complete and beautiful was her meek spirit of obedience. March brought the news of Frederick's marriage. He and Dolores wrote; she in Spanish-English, as was but natural, and he with little turns and inversions of words which proved how far the idioms of his bride's country were infecting him.

The dreary peacefulness of this time had been preceded by so long a period of anxiety and care that her mind had lost its elasticity. She occupied herself in teaching the two younger Boucher children, and worked hard at goodness; worked hard, I say truly, for despite her efforts, her heart seemed dead; her life seemed bleak and dreary. The only thing she did well was the silent comforting of her father. There was not a wish of his that she did not strive to foresee, and to fulfil. They were quiet wishes to be sure, and hardly named without apology. All the more beautiful was her meek spirit of obedience.
March brought the news of Frederick's marriage. He and Dolores wrote; she in Spanish-English, as was only natural, and he with little Spanish turns of phrase.
