Frank was very fond of him, and always paid attention to whatever he said. That morning he said seriously: think it has been a pretty good year." 66 Perhaps you can hardly decide without a little more "Well, Frank, the old year thought. You know at this is just out." "Yes, uncle; no one could have any doubt about that, with the bells ringing away so finely. I suppose they will ring the old year out and the new year in." time of the year all business men take stock. What does stock-taking mean?" "It means that the men in business take account of all that they have, of money in the bank, and articles in their "Are you glad to get rid of warehouses, and see how much the old year, Frank?" "Not particularly, uncle. Of course I like the new year, and hope it will be a very happy one." it all amounts to. Then against that they put all the debts they have, and so they are able to strike a balance.” "What is the use of stock "Has the old year been taking, Frank? Do you think happy, Frank?" it is waste of time ?" "Pretty well, uncle. It might have been better, but still I have had some good fun in it. It has been on the whole a 'jolly' sort of year." "But has it been a good sort of year, Frank ? Have you made visible and satisfactory improvement in it? Have you filled it with noble thoughts and kind deeds? Have you made the best use you could of its days? Has this year really been a good one in these respects ?" Frank hesitated a few moments before he replied. Then he said, 66 Yes, uncle, I "No, it must be a very useful way of spending time. The merchant may find that he is getting behind,-that his expenses are greater than his income." "Where would be the use of his knowing that?" "Of course he would be more careful. He would spend less and try to gain more; but, if he thought all the time that he was getting on well, he might be more extravagant, and then perhaps he would never be able to pay all his debts." 'Yes, you see stock-taking enables a man to know with certainty whether the year has been a prosperous one or not. Now, Frank, I want you to take stock." "Me, uncle? I have no debts, and very little money, so my stock-taking is soon done." 66 'This is what I mean, Frank: -Take your slate, and put down in one column all the good things you have done this year; then in another column put down all the wrong things you have done. Add them up, and subtract the smaller number from the greater, and show me the balance." It was this balance that made Frank look so dissatisfied and puzzled. He had thought a great deal about this sum, and tried to remember as far back as possible, beginning with January and going on to December, and he had put down all he could recollect. But when his uncle came in, he did not rise hastily and show him the slate, for the fact was that he felt rather ashamed of it. "But perhaps there is not much difference?" "Yes, there is, uncle. The sum of the one column is double that of the other," said Frank, in a low tone. "But perhaps you have forgotten some of the favourable items?" "Very likely, ancle. But it is also likely that I have forgotten some of the unfavourable ones too." "Well, what conclusion do you arrive at, Frank?" "That the next year must be a great deal better than the last, or I shall have little hope of myself." "Well, now, my boy, let us take another slate, and put down the blessings you have had. God has been very kind to you every day. He has given you health, and food, and friends, and many other daily "Well, Frank, have you mercies. But I want you to finished?" think of special kindnesses ་་ "Yes, uncle, I cannot think which He has shown to you." of any more." "Yes, I know, uncle. That was one when I was in a train that met with an accident, and yet I was not hurt. And that was another when I thought I should fail at my examination, and asked God to help me, and then succeeded so well that I was nearly at the top of the class." "Well, put them all down in a column.' When Frank had finished, he showed it to his uncle. GOOD-NIGHT. OOD-NIGHT, ye gems of beauty, Good-night, thou gentle On quiet bed I lay me, Good-night, ye wakeful woodlands, "It is the longest column of Amid whose smiles and odours all, uncle," he said. "Yes; you see how good God has been to you, and yet you have done so many wrong things, and so few right. You must have displeased many times, Frank." Him "Yes; and O, uncle, I am so sorry, but I will try to make this new year much better than the last. I will begin at the very beginning, and try to keep right on, and then surely the balance will not be so great on the wrong side when next December comes." "I hope not, Frank; but remember that you must ask God to help you, or you are certain to fail." "Why those murmurs and repinings? Who can alter what is done? Oftentimes it is a sin; I've pass'd day's wayward hours. Good-night, ye star-tipp'd mountains, Old friends, the tried and true; Good-night, ye wandering waters: Good-night to all, but not to My God, Whoever art with me! The last good-night is near, When I shall part in silence With those who love me here. Then, all my farewells over, Just passing out of sight, Unweeping and untrembling, I'll look my last good-night. Good-night to all, but not to Thee, My God, Who ever art with me: Yet not good-night for ever; For He Who is my day Will wake me soon:-I see Him Already on His way. No, not good-night for ever; I shall but sleep in Him Who shall arouse me early, And bid this flesh arise, Good-night to all, but not to Thee, My God, Who ever art with I see Him; lo, He cometh! My God, Who ever art with me! -Dr. H. Bonar. shire Hills side. Though we did not find a tree of seventy feet actual girth, there was one of fifty-five feet at four feet from the ground, carrying up its magnitude to a surprising height. Others, within a few hundred yards, measured fortyeight, forty-three, forty and ahalf, thirty-eight, thirty-seven, thirty-two, and twenty-eight feet, all of them fine trees about two hundred feet high: none of them were much decayed at the bottom, though in general a little broken at the top. On the base of one of them was a tumour, or carbuncle, measuring twelve feet across and six feet high. Amongst them was a fallen tree, twenty-two feet at the base, and nineteen at one hundred and ten feet up; a limb of thirteen and a-half feet sprung from it at ninety feet of elevation, and at one hundred and twenty feet two other large limbs. At one hun GIGANTIC TREES IN VAN dred and fifty feet the general DIEMEN'S LAND. E have been to-day," says the writer of a letter from Van Diemen's Land, "to see the Giants on the bank of the Emu river, below the confluence of the Loud Water, and on the Hamp head commenced; its total height, as measured, was two hundred and thirteen feet. By its fall it had uprooted another one hundred and sixtyeight feet long, which had brought up a ball of earth twenty feet across; these trees were all Stringy Barks. "When we returned from Emu Bay, four miles up the road, I measured a Stringy Bark, in a state of decay, one hundred and ninety-six feet to the branches; and near to it a White Gum, thirty feet round; and on the Lopham Road, two of thirty-five and thirty-three feet, their height being probably one hundred and eighty feet. The loftiest Tree Ferns were thirty feet in the trunk, with twelve feet fronds; the largest circumference eight and a-half feet. I have also measured, at the Hampshire Hills, a broadleaved Swamp Tea-Tree, seventy feet by seven; a Silver Wattle, sixty feet by eleven feet two inches, spreading sixty feet; and a Sassafras, one hundred and forty feet by six. The largest Myrtle I have measured was twenty-eight feet, but I think they may be found exceeding thirty." the use of water in any way, such as bathing or drinking. It is situated in Sussex, on the sea-coast, and lies about fiftytwo miles south of London. The old name of the town was Brighthelmstone, which some suppose to havebeen derived from Brighthelm, a Saxon bishop; while others say that it is taken from the Saxon beorht, briht, berht, or byrt, signifying bright; heal, a light-house or watchtower; and the word tun or ton, meaning a town. The name, spelled Bristelmstune, occurs in Domesday book. Three manors are so called, all of which appear to have been in the possession of Earl Godwin, the father of King Harold. In 1313, John de Warren, then lord of the manor, obtained a charter enabling him to hold a market at Brighthelmstone every Thursday. In 1513 the place was pillaged by the French. About 1579 there were eighty fishingboats belonging to the place, and the number of fishermen and mariners was four hundred. After that period the fishery for a long time declined; and in 1699 the condition of the town |