sence, under the same roof with them, of a playful air,—"I should say, Go we will. that on which was so glaringly visible the I desire to see something of life, and not be rankling plague-spot. The publication doomed to look at it for ever through the was thrust into the fire, and the subject gratings of this comfortable prison, and dropped.

to feel something of its freedom, and not be In a short time, the widow noted a de- perpetually fettered by precept, and law, cided change in young Sharp and his sister ; , and rule. I pant to see what I read about. a change that perplexed and pained her. If you read travels, why you wish to travel. They became iinpatient of the restraints | The very reading excites the desire. And and" dull monotony" of Sunday; listened | when one reads of Slippers, and the Misses with irreverence at church to the sermon Heys, and the Honourable Major Buckram, and prayers; spoke disrespectfully of clergy- why, one pants to see 'em, and hear 'em, and men; became enamoured of gay and fash- talk to 'em. Don't they, Carry ? " ionable life, and at times were more queru “Of course,” Miss Sharp answered. lous, scornful, wilful, and discourteous than “ I'm tired of being so dull, Mrs. Levens. she had supposed them capable of being. The Honourable Major Buckram for me.

It was March, and a large ball was to be He quite fires my brain.” be given in a week, by a large landed pro “But who's Major Buckram ? " the prietor in the neighbourhood. Charles and | widow asked with impatient curiosity. his sister were invited. The acceptance of “No such gentleman resides here." the invitation formed the subject of a con “Good, upon my word,” Caroline er. versation at the breakfast-table, the purport claimed, clapping her hands. “That's of which is faithfully conveyed, I believe, rich, isn't it, Charley ?” in the following:

Charles didn't deign his sister a reply, “I strongly disapprove of the whole | but observed to Mrs. Levens that they affair,” Mrs. Levens said emphatically, I should attend the ball, and suggested that " and shall therefore withhold my consent. | she would do well to make no fuss about If I were to do otherwise, Mr. Sharp would it. blame me, I'm sure.”

They persisted, and went; and Mrs. And I strongly approve of it," Charles Levens wrote a strongly-worded letter on replied, “and shall therefore confer on it the subject of their insubordination to Mr. the honour of my presence.”

Sharp. She heard from him, but to her His sister here giggled herself into a astonishment he made no allusion to the scarlet glow, and said, “ Stanhope for subject of her epistle. Again she wrote, ever!”

and again she heard, but not the slightest “ And who's Stanhope ?" the widow reference to her complaints. This was asked rather sharply.

several times repeated, Charles and Miss “Stanhope ?" Charles exclaimed with a Sharp becoming all the while more and flourish of unbecoming ease—“ Oh! he's a more wayward, rebellious, and disagreeable. hero, is Stanhope! He's my model, the They were frequently out late, mingling ideal after which I hope I am successfully with what she considered very questionable struggling. He resembles me, I hope, just society. One morning she threatened to as old Slippers is somebody else's portrait." send them away. In the evening of the

Miss Sharp was so amused, that she well same day, or during the night, they disapnigh choked herself with attempts to sup. peared. Anxious inquiries were made, and press her laughter.

an active search commenced. To her dis“I think this behaviour unbecoming, may, she learnt that Miss Sharp had eloped most unbecoming,” Mrs. Levens observed, with an officer of the army, and that one stung into displeasure by what she con of them, or both conjointly, had robbed sidered the insulting deportment of her her of more than a hundred pounds. charge. “I most certainly shall write to No time was lost in communicating with London about it.”

Mr. Sharp. He was wild with distraction. “Well now, Mrs. Levens," Charles re Mrs. Levens was subjected to a severe plied, affecting a conciliatory tone and cross-examination. She was sure she had manner, “I'll admit that perhaps I'm too done her best. Incidentally she mentioned bad. But you see it's Stanhope who's to the conversation in which the names Stanblame. However, go to this bali we wish hope, Heys, Slippers, and Buckram had to do-must do; and if we were not good, occurred. Mr. Sharp was instantly struck obedient children," he went on, assuming with the deathliness of a corpse. He paced

the room, beat his brow, and literally lifted son and daughter have drunk of it ; threw up his voice and wept. The widow was in polished darts to exhibit my skill and greater perplexity than ever.

wound my superiors, and behold they have Mr. Sharp, after handsomely refunding i pierced fatally my own flesh!” the stolen money, and amply remunerating What a verification of the words of the

Mrs. Levens, returned, sorrowing deeply, | Psalmist : “ The wicked have drawn out k to London.

the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast One day, when rummaging some drawers down the poor and needy, and to slay such her lodgers had used, Mrs. Levens turned up as be of upright conversation. Their sword

theinterdicted periodical. Charles and Caro. | shall enter into their own heart, and their * line had replaced the numbers destroyed, I bows shall be broken."

and completed the tale. Curiosity prompted her to look it through. Behold, in the middle and latter part of it she met with leading characters owning the names that

THE POWER OF A BURNT BIBLE. had so puzzled her—“Stanhope," a bold, scheming, letter-stealing scapegrace; “ Mrs. It was a dull winter's morning; the sky Slippers," a caricature of such persons as was leaden, the air was damp and cold, and herself; and “ Major Buckram," a dashing, the trees, now quite denuded of their sumdaring, military scoundrel. Here was the mer clothing, shivered in the wind. All fountain whence they had derived their was cold and cheerless without; and it was false feeling, the characters that had not less so with Tom Evans' house. He fevered and fired them with so much of had come down stairs moody and sullen to sickly sentiment. Here were the repre- breakfast. His wife had prepared the fire, sentations that had excited within them and two little ones sat clean and tidy at the such a yearning after gay and fashionable table ; but Tom spoke little to any of them, life, the sneers, scorn, and sarcasm that had and looked dull and discontented. turned them against or rendered them im What was the matter with him? “Oh! patient of domestic quiet and virtue. She nothing, nothing," he would have said, if committed the tale to the flames, sighing you had asked him. But why was he not over the injury it had wrought, and won happy,—with his kind, industrious little dering if the writer had any apprehension wife, his healthy children, and his business of being called to account for having 80 far prospering as to give them all a

comfortable living ? Tom had everything She continued to correspond with Mr. in this world that could make him happy, Sharp. More than a year passed before he but all would not do, for his mind was recovered his son and daughter. When he uneasy-he was an infidel. did so, they were mere wrecks. Dissipation Breakfast was finished; the wife cleared had ruined them. One day she received a the things away, the children were dressed long and frank epistle, filled with contrition to go to school, and Tom took out his and remorse. Ii informed her how that cloth, and set himself cross-legged on the his children admitted having been cor floor, and set to work, with his needle and rupted by the romance they had clandes thimble, for the day. tinely purchased and read; how that “How dark it is," he exclaimed, looking Charles had intercepted her letters on their out of the window; “it always happens so way to the post, in imitation of his hero, when I have most to do! What a small, "Stanhope"; and how that Major Buck dark window this is; I never was in such ram had poisoned his daughter's mind, and an uncomfortable house, and all this work fascinated her with the follies that had to do, too." proved her ruin. "What a curse," it “Well, you should be thankful for that,

went on to state, “has that fiction been to at all events," said his wife, timidly. “The | me! Whut a curse have I been to myself! | Bible teaches us always to be thankful for

For my own brain conceived it, and my everything; for nothing that we have do ovon pen wrote it! To gain fame as a we deserve. I don't think, dear Thomas, Writer, and to vent spite at those better you should be so discontented; God has than myself, I satirised the good, and threw given us a great many blessings which he a false beauty and charm over the bad. My has withholden from others." children have fallen by my own hand. I

"Don't talk to me of blessings, and the Alded poison to show my genius, and my | Bible, and such things, Jane. You know

written it.

.

you ?"

I don't believe in any of them.” Jane I like to spend money upon one. Now, I was silent; her sorrow was that he did not will tell you what, Mr. Evans, I don't want believe.

you to spend a penny upon what you don't The morning passed on, and Tom was like, but I will make you a present of one. not idle at his work. “Ah, there," said, There,” said she, putting upon the table a he, casting his eye out of the window," is nice little roan Bible, “I will leave this that Miss L- again, with her books and with you; you will take it as a present tracts. I fancy she won't come in here | from me, will you not?” again. I think I've pretty well told her “Leave it or not, as you please, ma'am," my mind about such rubbish and nonsense. | answered Tom; “I have said there shall My neighbours may be fooled, but I know not be a Bible in my house, and there this, that I won't."

shan't either.” "Miss 1 " said Jane, “is a very "Well, but surely you'll let me leave nice young lady, Tom. I'm sure she only it?" means to be kind. One would think she “O yes, leave it if you choose; but mark had injured you, that you dislike her so you, you see that fire ? As sure as you much. Why, here she comes to our door. cross the threshold of my door, that book Do, dear Tom, be civil to her; don't be goes into the fire. I'm a man of my word, rude, that's a good man."

and I'll do it." A knock came to the door, Jane opened “ Mr. Evans," said Miss L- , looking it, and Miss - appeared. “Well, calmly at him, while his wife trembled with Mrs. Evans," said she, “how are you to emotion, “I will leave the book, and you day? Can I have a word or two with may do with it what you like ; but may

God yet use that despised book for the sal. “O yes, ma'am ; pray come in and sit vation of your soul!" And she offered up down."

a silent prayer, that He, in whose hands is Miss L- came in and sat down. Tom all power, might have mercy upon the poor looked at her and said, “ Good morning," infidel, and use his own word as his instruwith a loud voice and indifferent air.

ment. “I am going the round of my district," Miss L- rose up and took her leave. said Miss L- ,“to look after the wants She crossed the threshold, and closed the of my people, and particularly to inquire door. Tom Evans immediately moved to whether they are well supplied with the table and seized the Bible. “There,” Bibles.”

said he, holding it out at arm's length, At the mention of Bibles Tom scowled, “I'm a man of my word; this book shall and Jane turned pale, for she knew how not stay in my house to trouble me," and her husband disliked them, and, indeed, he he flung it on the top of the fire. would not allow one to be in the house.

A column of smoke soon rose from the No one spoke, so Miss L- said again, volume; then the flames caught it, and it “How are you supplied with Bibles in your blazed with a bright glare up the chimney. house, Mrs. Evans ?"

Jane went out of the room, silently weepJane was just faltering out an answer, ing, to a neighbour's cottage. As she when her husband relieved her by saying opened the door, a gust of wind rushed in gruflly at once,“ We haven't no Bible in our and fanned about the burning leaves. The house; and I don't mean to have one infidel stood over the fire till it appeared to neither.”

be consumed, and then sat down to his “No Bible at all!” answered Miss work. L— “Well, I am sorry to hear this; The short day was soon over, and evening because I think no house can be really stole on. Tom left his work, and desired happy without the reading of God's book. his wife to light the candle; then they sat But why is it that you have an objection to over the fire together. the Bible, Mr. Evans? I never heard of “I fancy," said he to his wife," that that its doing any one any harm, and I am ere district lady, as she calls herself, didn't sure it has done a great many people much expect I would keep my word about that

book. But I'm a man of my word, and I " I say what I say," answered Tom. "I hate the book, and that's the fittest place haven't a Bible in my house, and don't mean for it,” pointing to the blackened leaves to have one."

underneath the grate. “The fire has done "Perhaps," said Miss L- "you don't | its work well; but there's a bit here which

good.”

hasn't been touched,” and he took up a , prepare themselves for the change. “But if small piece which had been blown by the we live, I would like to hear from the one draught to one side, and so had escaped who goes the farthest.” entire destruction. It was brown, and “It will soon be over with us all,” said scarcely told what it had been, but the the smallest. But the largest one replied : print seemed to have been burnt out into “Let come what will, I am ready." bolder relief by the action of the fire.

Knack! the shell burst, and all five "I did say that I would not read the rolled out in the bright sunshine. Soon book, but I will just see what the fire has they lay in a little boy's hand. He held left.” He took it in his hand, and, holding them fast, and said they would be excellent it up to the candle, read these words : for his little gun. Almost immediately “ Heaven and earth shall pass away, but they were rolling down the barrel of his my word shall not pass away.”

shot-gun. Out they went again into the These words were not read by Tom wide world. Evans without effect. The Spirit of God "Now I am flying out into the world!

worked by them. He could not lose Catch me if you can !" So said one, and by remembrance of them. He rested not till he was very soon out of sight.

he found a Saviour and peace to his soul. The second one said: “I am going to The lady's prayer was answered. God was fly up into the sun. He is a charming true to his promise,—“My word shall not | shell, and would be just about large enough return to me void, but it shall accomplish for me.” And off he flew. the thing whereunto I sent it.”

“Wherever we go we are going to bed," said two others. And they hit the roof

of a great stone house and rolled down on FIVE IN THE PEA SHELL.

the ground.

“ I am going to make the best of my lot,” FOR THE YOUNG.

said the last one. And it went high up, FIVE peas sat in a pea-shell. They were but came down against the balcony window green, and the shell was green. There- of an old house, and caught there in a fore they thought that the whole world was little tuft of moss. The moss closed up, green-in which opinion they were about , and there lay the pea. Everybody seemed right. The shell grew, and the peas grew to forget that pea, but not so. God retoo. They could accommodate themselves | membered it well. very well to their narrow house, and sat ! “Ishall make the best of my lot," it said, very happily together, all five in a row. The as it lay there. A poor woman lived in the sun shone outside and warmed the shell. / room back of the balcony window. She The rain made it so clear that you could spent the whole day in making little toys see through it. It was warm and pleasant of wood and shells, which was her way of in there, clear by day and dark by night, getting a little money. She had a good just as it should be. The five peas grew strong body, but nevertheless, she was a very fast, and became more intelligent the very poor widow, and the prospect was, older they were.

that she would always be one. In that "Shall I always be compelled to sit here?” little room lived her half-grown, delicate said one of the peas. “I really am afraid daughter. A whole year she had been that I shall get hard from sitting constantly. ! lying there, and it seemed as if she could I do believe strange things are going on | neišber live nor die. outside of our shell as well as in here."

“She will soon go off to see her little Weeks passed on, and the peas became sister,” sighed her mother. “I had two yellow, and the shell grew yellow too. “All dear children, and it was a difficult task for the world is yellow !" said they. And we me to take care of them both. But the Lord cannot blame them, under the circum. made a compromise by taking one of stances, for the exclamation.

them to live with him. Now, I would One day their house was struck as if by like to keep this one with me, but it appears Lightning. They were torn off by some as if God wants them both with him. Soon body's hand, and were put into a coat she will go and see her sister!" pocket which had been nearly filled with But the sick girl still lived and lay peas.

patiently on her sick-bed, while her mother "Now there is going to be an end of us,” worked with her hands for their daily they sighed to one another, and began to bread.

By-and-by spring-time came on. One | raised her up in bed and leaned her against morning, when the laborious mother was a chair. The next week she was able for going about her work, the friendly sun the first time for many, many months to shone through the little window, and all get out of bed and take a few steps. along the roof. The sick girl looked down How happy she was as she sat in the at the bottom of the window and saw some bright sunshine and looked at the growing thing growing.

pea-vine! The window was open and the “What kind of a weed is that ?" she morning breeze came skipping in. The said. “It is going to grow against our girl leaned her head out of the window and window. See, the wind is shaking it!” I kissed her vine. That day was a happy And the mother came to the window and

holiday to her. opened it a little. “Just see!” she ex “ The good Father in heaven, my dear claimed. “That is a slender pea-vine ; it child, has planted that little flowering pes is now shooting out its green leaves. How there for you, and also to bring hope and it likes the little crevice! Soon we will | joy to my heart.” So spoke the motherhave a garden!”

and truly too. Then the sick girl's bed was moved close to the window, so that she could see the Now, what became of the other peas? little climbing pea. Then her mother went The one which flew out into the wide to her work again.

world, and said as he passed, “ Catch me “ Mother, I really believe I shall get well if you can," fell in the gutter beside the again," said the daughter one evening to 1 street, and was swallowed by a dove. her mother. “The sun has been shining The two which went off together fared no into the window so kindly to-day, and the better, for they were both devoured by the pea-vine is growing so fast, that I believe I hungry pigeons. shall soon be able to go out into the bright The fourth pea, which went off toward sunshine."

the sun, didn't get half way there, but fell “I would to God it could be so," said in a waterspout, and lay there for weeks, the mother. But she did not believe it! growing larger all the time. could come to pass.

“I am getting so corpulent," it said one Then she stuck down a little stick for the day, “I shall soon burst, I ara afraid, and pea-vine to run on, and tied a string | that certainly will be the last of me." around it to keep the wind from blowing 1 And the chimney, who afterwards wrote it away. Every day it grew higher and his epitaph, told me a few days ago that he larger.

did burst. So that was the last of him. "Now it is beginning to blossom," said But the sick girl stood one day with the mother one day, as she went up to the bright eyes and red cheeks at her mother's window. “ I am beginning to think my little window, and, folding her hands over dear daughter will get well again.” She the beautiful pea-vine, thanked her heahad noticed that she had been getting more venly Father for his goodness. cheerful and stronger of late. So on the “I am proud of my vine," said the morning that the pea-vine blossomed she widow. And so said all the world!

Gems from Golden Mines.

THE WATCHWORD. In one of the great rock-galleries of Gibraltar, two British soldiers had mounted guard; one at each end of the vast tun. nel. One was a believing man, whose soul had found rest upon the Rock of Ages ; the other was seeking rest, but had not found it.

It was midnight, and these soldiers were going their rounds, the one meditating on

the blood which had brought peace to his soul, the other darkly brooding over his own disquietudes and doubts. Suddenly an officer passes, challenges the former, and demands the watchword: “The precious blood of Christ!” called out the startled veteran, forgetting for a moment the password of the night, and uttering unconsciously the thought which was at that moment filling his soul. Next moment he