"She must be married some day, I suppose,' said papa; at which mamma did not look very pleased. "She has no idea of managing a house," said mamma, "and I am sure I do not know how she would get on with Mr. Felstun's small income." 109 letter so nicely, a rather difficult thing, I should imagine. Lying by Sylvia's plate was a letter for her. I was too much engaged with my own to notice anything that was going on until Georgiana remarked, in an unusually loud and sharp key, "How red you are, Sylvia. Is there anything unusual in your "Small income, mamma !" I answered, in sur-letter?" prise; "why, Edwin is rich." "Five or six hundred a year may seem a great deal to you, my dear; but you would soon find out how insufficient it would be, and I should not be fulfilling my duty if I allowed you to marry on such an income. I cannot stay any longer, my guests are awaiting me;" and mamma left the room, having cast an effectual damp on all three, for I could see that dear papa, although he would not disapprove, was almost as disappointed as Edwin or I could be. So it was decided that Edwin should accept an appointment abroad which had been offered him some little time ago, but which he had decided to refuse; and that point settled, it was discovered that a ship would be sailing in a few weeks, in which he must take his passage or wait for several months, which latter idea he never for a moment entertained. Though Edwin explained to me all about this appointment, I could not quite understand it. He would return in two years' time, he said, when would fall to his share an appointment equally lucrative in England. New Year's Day.-This first day of the new year has been a very eventful one, and not altcgether pleasant. It began pleasantly enough for me, for besides the numerous birthday presents awaiting me at breakfast, there was also a letter from Edwin, the first one we have yet received, and it commenced by wishing me "many happy returns of the day," and hoping that the letter would arrive on this (new year's) day. This little incident delighted me especially, for I thought how kind it was of him to remember and to time his Sylvia stammered and looked angrily at Georgy, and papa, looking up from the letter he was reading, asked whom the letter was from. "From Cousin Stacy," Sylvia answered, still very crimson. "No, that it is not," said Lydia, who was sitting next to Sylvia. It is not Stacy's writing." "What right have you to overlook my letters ? " asked Sylvia. Lydia was about to answer, when her papa asked again, and in a very stern voice, "Who is that letter from, Sylvia ?" Sylvia made no answer, but seemed very much confused. "If you will not answer I must see for myself," said papa, holding out his hand for the letter, which Sylvia still kept in her own. "Give it to me, Sylvia!" said papa, in a tone that Sylvia saw she must not disobey. Papa took the letter and read it through, we all of us waiting silently and anxiously while he did so. "Come with me, Sylvia," said papa; and the two went into the library. Immediately there was a buzz of conversation, and poor Sylvia was condemned, though no one knew of what to condemn her. Each of them rose up in virtuous indignation against her unknown fault, and spoke very bitterly of her, and when mamma joined in, and spoke more bitterly than either, it became too much for me, so leaving them to digest their breakfast I ran up-stairs into my own room, waiting till Sylvia should be released, to hear from her what the contents of this strange letter could be. (To be continued.) A NOVEMBER DAY. T is a heavy damp decaying day; spray, And in the bleak and empty fields alway The dim grass shivers; winding on its way About the weedy gable of the house, Where slouches the damp hayrick, weather And black pond choked with rotten undergrowth And in the farmyard cold the ruffled fowls That, bowed with rain, fringe the flood-beaten bank. Peck whimperingly among the scattered seeds; The black crow in the late-ploughed paddock feeds, At times the chained dog dolorously howls; The spider moves with stealthy crippled crawl, Like a crabbed, withered hand. Soon dark and blankest silence domes the ground Where the damp night-wind moving drearily, M UNA AND THE WOLF. AMMA," said little Amy, “do tell us a permit savage beasts to make their lair in my do- "Yes, please, please, mamma," was 'Well, sit down quietly, children. Amy and Grace get your work, and I will try to think of one." "Now, mamma, we're all settled to listen; won't you begin?" "In a wild and lonely part of the country, long ago, when they say fairies had great power, there lived a boy named Theodore. He had several brothers and sisters, and I am sorry to say, often grieved his parents much by his unkind and tyrannical behaviour towards those younger than himself. He expected them in all things to obey him, and would never give way in the slightest degree to their wishes; on the contrary, if they showed any unwillingness to submit to his rule, he would lose his temper, and frequently become both rough and rude. It happened on one particular occasion, that he had quarrelled with all the other children, and in endeavouring to have everything his own way, had pushed down his youngest sister, Una, and hurt her very much. The poor little thing began to cry piteously; but he being in a wicked passion, rushed from the house without enquiring for her, or seeming sorry for his savage conduct. There was a pretty green mound behind the house, where the fairies were supposed to have their palace. It was surrounded with hawthorn bushes, just then in full blossom, so that the air was fragrant with perfume, and the birds were singing gaily from every tree, when Theodore, with his heart filled with dark and evil passions, entered this scene of peace and harmony, and flung himself down under the shade of one of the fairy thorns. He lay for some moments absorbed in his own fancied wrongs, when, raising his eyes, he beheld, with great astonishment, a beautiful lady standing before him." "Time passed away, and all the family seemed to have recovered the shock with the exception of little Una, who often stole off by herself and wept silently over the loss of her brother. Some months after his disappearance his mother was in the garden gathering fruit, and perceived a wolf stealthily approach. With a scream she threw down her basket and fled to the house, declaring she had been so much frightened, it was impossible she could ever enter the garden again alone. I terrify even my own mother,' thought poor Theodore as he retreated. 'Oh, who will give a gentle word to a wolf!' Another day his father was at work in the field when he beheld the same seemingly savage animal prowling about, and, seizing a pitchfork, he rushed at poor "THE QUIVER" BIBLE CLASS. Theodore, who ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. Sad, oh, so sad at heart! On another occasion, his elder brothers and sisters were assembled in the farm-yard, when, looking towards the gate, they raised an exclamation, A wolf! a wolf! oh, look at that fierce wolf! run-run sisters for the gun, and we will have a shot at him.' The girls immediately set off to the house and shut the door after them. Theodore did not wait to be shot by his brothers, but slunk away sullenly, and by the time the gun was brought, was nowhere to be seen. When little Una heard all these stories, she remarked, ‘That poor wolf comes prowling here so often I am sure he must want something; I wonder is he hungry?' "Most likely,' replied one of her brothers; and if he could get hold of you, little Una, he would soon eat you up.' "Oh no, I would not be the least afraid; I am sure he would not hurt a child.' "That's because you're young and ignorant, and you don't know anything about the nature of wolves,' he answered contemptuously. "Una said no more, but she kept her own opinion. Theodore determined to make one more trial among his own family, though he had little hope of the result. Accordingly, he hid himself near the house, and watched until one evening he saw his father, mother, and elder brothers go out; then gently pushing open the door, he stood before the younger children. There was a universal scream, 'A wolf! a wolf! We shall all be eaten up.' And the little ones ran to the farthest corner of the room, and huddled together as closely as possible. "Meantime the dreaded animal stood in the middle, gazing at the group of frightened children, and longing that he could speak. Then Una disengaged herself from the others, crept timidly forward, and seeing the savage creature stand there quietly and harmlessly, took courage to approach, and stretching out her tiny hand to caress his head, said, softly, 'Poor wolf, I am sure you would not hurt me; let me pat you.' The moment she uttered the words the animal 111 his father and brother threatened him, and he was a wolf still; but when Una patted his head and spoke kindly he became a boy again, and I am sure loved her very much, and did not act like a wolf any more." "I daresay not, dear, and I hope you will all remember this story when you feel inclined to be cross and ill-natured to each other. Try the spell of a gentle word; you will find it very powerful." "THE QUIVER" BIBLE CLASS. 58. Two prophets who both were warned that they should die, and both in despair asked expressly a desire to die? 59. Who said, "Thou God seest me?" 60. The men of which tribe in Israel could not pronounce the h in sh? 61. A wise woman who saved the city in which she lived? 62. A man who lost his life through the misconduct of his two servants? 63. What was the origin of the word "Samaria ?” ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON PAGE 96. 46. Matt. xviii. 10. "That in heaven their angels do behold the face of my Father." 47. Matt. xvii. 21. 48. Matt. xxii. 32. 50. 2 Kings vi. 13, &c. 51. John xi. 51. 52. To reveal to the Saviour the circumstances of his passion. 53. John xii. 37. 57. At Troas. Acts xvi. 10. "We understand," &c. SONNET. gave a strange cry and fell at her feet, and inRIEND, charity with thee a duty means: speechless astonishment they all beheld a wondrous transformation. The wolf disappeared, and in his place stood their long-lost brother Theodore, for Una had broken the fairy spell. You may imagine the surprise and delight of the parents on their return when they were greeted by their son, and heard the marvellous story of his restoration to human form. Now my story is ended, children; but you know there is something to be learned even from a fairy tale; so tell me what lesson you can draw from this." 'Mamma," said Amy, "I think it means that when people are cross and savage, like wolves, the best way to make them kind is to speak gently to them. Theodore's mother was frightened at him, A poor man in thine eyes is but a dun one Whose very "frailty unto virtue leans;" A friend in thee all common friends before. JAMES DAWSON, JUN. STRAY SÆMUND, an old Icelandic poet, could give many a "What worthy man without a blemish? Lines well worth remembering, even though a heathen NOTES. prise was as successful as it deserved to be, and may give the initiative to kindred institutions. We should rejoice to see such a movement extended and maintained throughout the country. DURING the year ending at Michaelmas, 1868, no less than a hundred and twenty-nine murders have DURING the violent gale on the 12th of September been committed in England and Wales alone. The last, The Quiver lifeboat at Margate gave most spirit of Cain is well established even in the most gratifying proof of its perfect seaworthiness. No Christian country in the world. But happily the lives were saved (fortunately there was no neces-number is less than that for the preceding year, sity, as the distressed vessels were succoured by although the difference comparatively is very smallhandier means), but to have been afloat in a heavy namely, six. Can we found any hope upon this as to succeeding years? sea, and an unabated gale, for quite six hours, was so severe a test as not to be passed over. The Secretary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution informs us that the services of The Quiver were very gallant, and if so it had been needed she might have saved two shipwrecked crews with no further risk and exposure than was incurred on the occasion in question. MUSICIANS may play ad libitum, but still they follow the score. In playing out our lives, a good many of us claim a far wider ad libitum. We refuse to pay any heed to the notation of the Great Master, and insist on having our own tune as well as time. What wonder that we so often get out of harmony! FROM an Indian paper we learn that "The Brahmins of the city of Peona have been much delighted with the fall of rain, as it is attributed to the expedient of dipping their gods in the water up to the waist. Since Sunday last, the gods, it seems, could bear no longer the state they were in, and consequently caused the rain to fall to obtain their release." WE fear that few of our readers are well acquainted with either the life or the works of Bishop Tegnér, the great poet of Sweden. We are indebted to a Swedish correspondent for the following account of Tegnér's abode and habits, which he has translated from the original of Bôttiger, and obligingly placed at our service : "It will perhaps interest the reader to visit for a few moments the simple dwelling whence so great a renown proceeded. We go, then, to Lund, and find there, at the corner of Gråbrödragatan (Grayfriars Street) and Klostergatan (Cloister Street), a white house of roomy and comfortable appearance. This, together with the little garden beside it, is the poet's own. On the high stone step outside we see some curly-headed children playing with a fat, black-nosed pug. This is the bard's favourite dog, the well-known Atis, who has been inseparably attached to him for twelve years, and has not yet neglected to chair, Atis follows, and takes his place at his feet. Should the attend a single Greek lecture. When his master ascends the professor ever forget the hour for lecture, Atis pulls him by the coat, and then his master knows what is the time of day. We enter the house and leave to the left the dwelling-rooms of the family. To the right we enter a large hall, and within that is It is puzzling enough to reconcile this almost laugh-the poet's study; but before opening the door, we ought to able freak with ordinary human intelligence; but we are the more amazed when we hear this of a people remarkable for its personal dignity, learning, and acuteness of intellect. But the Brahmins are among the first in reason and the last in faith. Hence the anomaly, and its absurd results. listen if there is not a sound from within of heavy steps, and an "Frithiof's Saga" is an epic, and the greatest poem to be found in the literature of Sweden. "Nattvardsbarnen" is that charming poem from which Longfellow has taken his "Children of the Lord's Supper." "Axel" contains a most beautiful description of an old veteran of the time of that idolised monarch, Charles XII. of Sweden. I ger's wife, as she looked round the small and plainlyfurnished room in which she and Ruth Vincent were sitting. CHAPTER XXI.-RUTH'S HOUSEKEEPING. VOL. V. Ruth looked pale and jaded, and sat listlessly by 219 |