place this time, and also because Harry was to board with them, she should still see a great deal of him. And it was a happy thing for her that she did; for Harry's bright example and pious teachings were the means, under God's blessing, of leading his little cousin to give her heart to the Saviour, and to choose, as Harry had done, that good part which should never be taken away from them. And then, I need not tell you that she became, not only an affectionate, but also a dutiful child.

From the day he entered Mr. Graham's office, Harry went on steadily and prosperously. He never regretted the trial which he had met with at Mr. Hilton's, nor the boldness with which he had faced it. On the contrary, he was very thankful that his principles had been thus early tested, and that, through God's grace, they had not wavered; for the discipline did him good, and strengthened his character. If he had then yielded to the ungodly influence of his master, it might have been the first downward step in the path of evil. From breaking one commandment of his Maker's, he might have been persuaded to break another; and who can tell where he would have stopped?

Lads, remember this. You will have to go

out into the world some day, and you will be forced, as Harry was, to act for yourselves. Imitate him in this respect; be faithful and courageous in doing your duty. Never shrink from what you know to be right, because of the unpleasant consequences which may follow. Obey God's will, and trustfully leave the consequences to him. If you serve him, he will take care of you; and those that honour him he will assuredly honour.

43

THE THREE SCHOOL GIRLS.

THREE of Mrs. Meanwell's girls were sitting at their dinner, round one of the desks in the school-room, talking over the affairs of the village. The younger children were either gone home, or were out in the play-ground; so they had all the place to themselves.

"Have you seen the widow lady that is come to stay at the Squire's?" asked Hester Blake.

"I haven't heard a word about her," answered Millie Hayward. "Who is she, and when did she come?"

My brother Tom has seen her," said Amy Jones. "She was walking in the garden yesterday afternoon while he was at work, and her little boy was with her. The little boy could only just walk, Tom says; and the lady is quite young."

دو

"Mother went for the clothes last night," continued Hester Blake," and heard all about

her from the under-housemaid. She hasn't been a widow long. Her husband was a missionary, and died abroad; so the poor lady was obliged to come home, and she is going to stay here a good while, for the Squire is some relation to her, I don't know what. And she has only that one little boy. He's a year and half old, and his name is Rupert. He was named after the Squire." "And, what's the lady's name?" inquired

Millie.

"Mother couldn't remember," answered Hester. "I don't know how she came to forget it when she'd once been told; but do what she would, she couldn't call it to mind."

"I know," said Amy. "Tom heard the gardener talking about her, and he called her Mrs. Sheldon."

"Dear me, you seem to know everything," said Hester.

"I couldn't help it," answered Amy, meekly: "Tom works in the Squire's garden now every day; and I don't think there was any harm in his telling us about Mrs. Sheldon and her little boy, though Mrs. Meanwell says servants are never to talk of things out of the house."

"Nobody said there was any harm," re

marked Millie Hayward; "but you are such a little goose, Amy. Always stopping to ask if this is right, and if that is right: I don't know how you are ever to make your way in the world if you don't brighten up. And now I think of it, Amy, what did you give me that nudge for this morning when those young ladies were looking at our copybooks?"

"Why, you were whispering so loud," replied Amy," that I was afraid the ladies. would hear. And one did hear you say what an ugly bonnet she had got on, for I saw her turn round; and I felt so ashamed."

"So it was an ugly bonnet," said Millie. "If I was a lady, and had plenty of money, I'd never look as she did. I'm going to have a new bonnet by next Sunday, and if it isn't a smarter than that was, I won't put it on my head."

"My mother says smart clothes don't become a poor girl," answered Amy.

And my mother says, make the best of yourself, and go respectable, or everybody will look down upon you. As for you, Hester, you are worse than Amy; you don't care what you've got on. Look at your frock how it's torn."

Hester was a careless, good-humoured girl,