the philanthropist, who was anything but a Papist, had said, that wherever he had a tent, there GOD should have an altar, and therefore she did not perceive that her nephew had done any thing but carry out that idea into practice.

"The fact is," said Mrs. Montague, conclusively, "that Mr. Lester is an independent young man, who can afford to indulge his eccentricities regardless of public opinion. However, they are but eccentricities, and he has quite a right to do as he likes. I never interfere with Edith, she holds the same opinions; of course I always tell her I wish I could see her more like my darling Bella; but then I cannot expect to have more than one daughter, who is every thing a fond mother can wish."

The two Misses Screwback drew themselves up stiffly with the conviction that Mrs. Montague was too lukewarm a partisan to satisfy their strictness, and were the first to take their leave when the party broke up.

"Oh! say not, dream not, heavenly notes
To childish ears are vain,

That the young mind at random floats,
And cannot reach the strain.

"Dim or unheard, the words may fall,
And yet the heaven-taught mind
May learn the sacred air, and all
The harmony unwind."

KEBLE.

THE autumn days were dying, and the mysterious winter rest drawing near. The harvest days were past, and the kneeling groups in S. Edmund's had joined in their earnest Priest's thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth, and had seen the golden ears and the clustering grapes gleaming above their altar, the offerings of the earth once cursed for Adam's sin, now hallowed by the Second Adam into a sacrament of life.

And now keen winds and shortening days marked the year's decline, and Ken Lester, feeling the change from the bright summer and the genial autumn, scarcely dared to venture from the house, a very sheltering nest of love, so tenderly was he cared for; while Ion took his solitary, now daily, walk over to the parsonage, to see little Willie.

For there a change had come, and the loving eyes that watched him in his quiet home could no

longer be blind to the shadow ever stealing onward towards the morning light of that young child's life; and yet in their saddest hour of anticipated bereavement, all sorrow-stricken as they were, they could discern the approaching form, not as a fearful spectre, but as a glorious angel advancing to throw open the gate of the Good Shepherd's fold to one of those little ones, whose guardian spirits always behold the brightness of their FATHER'S face.

But the days passed on, and the changeful autumn faded, and the fallen leaves lay sere and withered on the ground, yet the little sufferer lingered; and when the sun's rays were warm and bright, he was drawn out by Tim, sometimes attended by his mother, sometimes by his uncle or Mr. Westbourne, and the village children would hush their noisy sports as he approached, while their elders gazed upon the fair boy with love and tenderness.

Ion's visits were so anxiously looked for by the child, that he scarcely ever missed a day; and often, when Clement entered the parsonage to inquire after Willie, he talked with loving pride of his Mr. Lester;" dwelling with delight upon his words and actions, and narrating how that, having once mentioned his Uncle William's having carried him in his arms to see some desired sight, Mr. Lester had asked his mamma if she would trust him to do the same, and had taken him to Lester Court, into the house, to see all those beautiful pictures, and that little chapel, with such a window,he had dreamt of it afterwards, full of angels, with those very tints gleaming on their wings; and over the grounds, too,-what flowers there were! and all because he had once said he should like to go there. And Clement, thinking with roused feelings how friendless and isolated he would seem

without Ion, felt that he, too, could re-echo the child's words, "How good and kind he is!"

But Willie gradually became more weak and languid, and the days were cold and dreary, so that his out-of-door excursions were likely to be soon discontinued. He had, however, expressed a wish to see the Church once more, and Ion promised to come over on the first fine, mild day, to accompany him.

Willie watched very eagerly indeed for the sunshine, morning after morning; and Mrs. Spencer consulted the barometer, and studied the clouds, and referred very frequently to the vane, for information respecting the position of the wind, besides appealing to the meteorological experience of all her friends; until, after many disappointments, a fine bright morning raised her hopes, and Mr. Bernard, to his sister's entire satisfaction, pronounced a favourable opinion of the atmosphere, and left Willie for his daily round of duties with the observation, that if Mr. Lester came, he might venture to join him.

Poor Tim was in an equally anxious and expectant state as his young master. The little carriage was brought out completely ready, and placed at the door, and his own simple toilet considerably hastened, before he went into the parlour to receive Mrs. Spencer's numerous instructions, and to strengthen Wilibert's conviction that he would not again be disappointed; and then Tim took up his station at the parsonage gate, to give the earliest notice of Mr. Lester's approach,-a post of suspense which he was not long doomed to occupy.

After the little delay, ensuing from Mrs. Spencer's voluminous expressions of gratitude and pleasure at his arrival, Ion himself carried his young charge to the chaise; and then onward they went across the village green, where the crisp frost lay upon the

withered leaves, and sparkled like diamonds beneath their feet; while above, the sky of cloudless blue rose high and clear beyond the dark branches of the leafless trees, whose sharp outline came out so distinctly from that radiant background; while scarcely a sound was heard to break the stillness of all around, but the distant tinkling of the sheepbell, and the clear notes of our winter bird issuing from a neighbouring thicket, like the chant of faith even amid the ruins of hope.

To the Church Ion took his young charge, and then to Lester Court, to see Ken; and afterwards the brightness of the morning clouded over, and Willie, being tired, they turned back again towards the parsonage. When Ion had seen him within the shelter of his home, he left him, with a promise of calling again in the evening to learn how he was after this exertion.

The afternoon proved dull and gloomy, and in the evening, when Ion again directed his steps towards the parsonage, the snow, which was falling at intervals, lay upon the ground in a smooth, unvarying sheet of spotless white, coldly beautiful; its pure surface only ruffled by the wind, as it drifted the scarcely congealed mass, or rudely shook it like a shower of downy plumes from the leafless branches of the trees. It was a beautiful scene, but it was sad and melancholy to hear the hollow winds as they drove the capricious clouds across the darkened sky, and obscured the faint and glimmering light that had previously reflected upon the snow-covered ground; or, with a crash, shattered the withered arms of some ancient tree, whose sharp outline had a moment before stood out in dim relief from the surrounding gloom. And then that same tempestuous element would sink into subdued echoes, as it swept past, like the sad, repentant sigh of remorseful violence.