the next occasion the party should be made an example of. Without more ado therefore, he walked to his door, and promised a penny roll to a ragged urchin for fetching a policeman. The lad darted off, shrieking "police" as he went, and followed by a dozen boys and girls, ragged as himself, and vociferating as loudly.

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An officer was soon found. He listened to the baker-examined the coin, and professed to recognise the child as an old hand at "that sort of thing.'

"You'll have to attend to-morrow, Mr. Bulrush," he said to the baker. "Ten will be the hour. It 's uncertain when 'twill come off, but we 'll have consideration for you, on account of your business. Bread is dear enough-an't it?"

It will be very inconvenient for me to appear myself," remarked the baker. "I suppose if I send my wife it will dowon't it?"

The policeman thought otherwise, and grasped the little hand compressed within his own, tighter as he said so. The child uttered a piteous cry of pain, and bade the man release her, that she might take the loaf to her father. At this juncture the baker's wife entered the shop.

"You are hurting your little girl," she said to the policeman. "My little girl," said the piqued officer, glancing disdainfully at the child. Thank you, Mrs. Bulrush,-my little girl makes a better appearance than a beggar's child-my little girl has warm, respectable clothing, and never utters bad money.'

"Oh, it's another case of bad money-is it? Why, that makes the third to-day."

"Bad money," cried the child, beginning to cry as she now first understood her position. "A woman gave it to me-Father sent me out to beg, and told me to buy bread with what I got. I won't go to gaol. Please let me go home."

"It may be true what she says," remarked the baker's spouse. ""Tis so young a child, I don't see what's the use of sending her to prison; except for charity's sake, for I suppose they'll feed her there. I would let her go-I would, Bulrush.'

Why, you see, ma'am, it wouldn't do to let her go," replied the policeman; "if it's only on the principle of getting her fed. Why, as a Christian and a mother, Mrs. Bulrush, you must say prison-feeding is better than chance bread. Bless you, she won't know herself when she comes out; she 'll be so plump and fat."

A customer had entered the shop during the officer's speech. "Why, Mr. Eden," said the baker's lady, "you are a stranger. How's your respectable wife and the nice baby? Here's a case of a bad sixpence-a shame, an't it, to see so young a hand at it -the third case to-day-tradesmen need be careful.

"Bad money-so young, too-not the first attempt, I suppose," said Mr. Eden.

Oh, no-an old hand at it, sir. I've had my eye upon her this long time," said the policeman.

"I want a half-quartern loaf, Mr. Bulrush-a crusty one, if you have it—that in the window will just suit me;" and Mr. Eden pointed to the loaf which the child had intended to purchase. When she saw the baker deliver it to his customer, she renewed her crying and wept more bitterly than ever.

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Well, good night, Bulrush-good night, Mrs. B.," said Mr. Eden, turning to depart. "She is young-too young for oakum picking-cold night, isn't it?" and he left the shop. The policeman also quitted it, dragging the child along-while Mr. Bulrush put on his great-coat-wiped the flour from his face, and prepared to follow him to make the charge at the station-house.

The baby was asleep before the knocker responded to the application of Mr. Eden's finger. The supper was in course of preparation-but not ready, and Mr. Eden was a hasty man. But for the little mendicant, baby would have been disposed of half an hour before, and the sausage would be "keeping warm" upon the hob. Rat-tat-tat.

As it happened, Mr. Eden was in the best possible humour. His employers -he was junior clerk to a merchant firm in the City -had that day taken him confidentially aside, and announced their determination to elevate him to a higher post and increase his salary 707. annually. He could, therefore, bear to wait complacently for his supper He would run to the nearest tavern for half a pint of the best Scotch whisky, in which to drink his employer's health. Mrs. Eden had no objection to whisky-and the sausages would be ready by the time he was returned, and had got his house coat and slippers on. Meanwhile, the little hungry girl was dismally sobbing in her cell at the station-house. By the bye, my dear," said Mr. Eden to his wife after supper, "when I stepped into Bulrush's for that loaf, he was just giving a miserable child into custody for attempting to pass a bad sixpence-plenty of base money about-the third bad sixpence offered

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at Bulrush's to-day. You must be careful of the silver you get in change at the shop."

Three bad sixpences in one day! What sort of a child was it ?"

"Oh, a little old-fashioned beggarly looking little thing with a careworn old-looking face. The policeman knew her well-an old hand at that sort of thing."

"It was a girl then-what sort of bonnet had she on ?"

"Bonnet-I don't know whether it was bonnet or hat-it was squabbed out of all shape. To me she looked more like a boy than a girl."

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How old do you think this girl was?" said Mrs. E., following up the thread of her own reflections.

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Any age between six and fourteen. You seem concerned for her, my dear."

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Concerned-how absurd! Your pipe is on the sideboard. I'm going out a shopping-I've got a few little things to get in for to-morrow. If baby wakes"

"You an't going out to-night, my love?" said Mr. Eden.

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Yes. I must go-we shan't have a candle in the house when that is burnt out.'

"You may bring me in some tobacco. Stay-you may buy me two cigars, Mrs. E.-old Cubas-they are three halfpence each, my love."

Two old Cubas-I won't forget."

She had hastily equipped herself in shawl and bonnet while she was talking, and only lingered to bid her husband listen for baby's waking,-ere she set her nimble feet upon the pavement, and turned her face towards the baker's dwelling. Within doors she had only half-guessed how cold it was without. The freezing wind came hard against her like a substance. The few persons abroad were wrapped to the teeth,-except the very poor,-and God help them in all weathers! From the baker and his wife, she could extract nothing concerning the child, save that she had tendered a bad sixpence, for which Bulrush was determined to punish her. Their description of her person strengthened Mrs. Eden's conjectures, and she repaired to the station-house to see

the child.

She had never been in a station-house before-nor had she ever set foot within a Police Court or Criminal Court. With

humanity, as it appears under the awful guises: there set forth.>> she was unacquainted. The battered, brutal visages, she saw. { there, confronted with the myrmidons of law, especially the befaced womanhood of those of her own sex who were under arrest, filled her with dismay and terror. She could tell her errand to the inspector only with great difficulty. The man was gentle for his office, and willingly acceded to her request to have the child brought from the cells. Mrs. Eden recognised her immediately, and the little girl knew her also.

You gave me the sixpence-indeed-I didn't know it was a bad 'un. Let me go home to my father," sobbed the child.

"I did indeed give her a sixpence only a few minutes before she was given into custody," said Mrs. Eden.

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If the tradesman chooses not to appear against her, she will be discharged to-morrow by the magistrate," remarked the inspector. You had better talk to Bulrush, ma'am."aran

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"Can the child go with me to the shop?" inquired Mrs. Eden. "No-but if, after examining the sixpence, you are satisfied that it is the coin you gave her, and the baker consents to withdraw the charge, I will act upon my own responsibility, and let her go," replied the man.

Mrs. Eden had already seen the coin, but was unable to swear that it was the gift she had bestowed upon the little beggar. She was a lover of truth. But the appealing face of the meagre child sorely tempted her. And, moreover, she felt almost confident that it was the sixpence she had picked up and deposited in the pillbox. Should she stretch a point, and say she was quite confident about the identity of the coin? Certain moral scruples beset her mind, but another glance at the child's face quieted them. God's gospel of truth was written in those lineaments as far as the sixpence was concerned, -as certainly as the bright sun was itself a true thing, created by the Author of Truth. She said she was confident, and would swear if they required her. So the inspector sent a policeman to fetch the baker.

The end of it was that the sour baker, who, as Twelfth Night was drawing nigh, was deep in cakes, and had his time fully occupied, was glad of an excuse for escaping attendance on the police: court on the morrow, and freely consented to take Mrs. Eden's explanation of the matter. The child was therefore set at liberty, : and went to her wretched home-carrying a quartern loaf, and

A

some ready-cooked meat, and a few little "grocery things" Mrs. Eden's gifts-for, as she said to the baker's wife," I can't help being kind to very little children, when they come to beg 'tis a weakness, but I can't help it."

Mrs. Eden slept soundly that night, and her repose she told me this herself-had no reference whatever to Eden's elevation, and the annual addition of seventy pounds to his salary.

ARNHELDT WEAVER.

I

THE RIGHTS OF THE POCKET.

"HARRY," said Frank Slangton,ward of the Reverend Dr. Plumworth, and in training under the auspices of that divine for Cambridge-the young gentleman addressed the Doctor's son: "I think I owe you some tin."

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"What did you say, Mr. Slangton? asked Dr. Plumworth," pausing in the composition of a sermon, at his desk."

"I was telling Henry that I believed I owed him some money," sir."

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"Money, I think, was not the word you used," said the clergyman.

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No, sir; my expression, I admit, was tin." "Let me beg, then," returned the Doctor, that you will not repeat it, Mr. Slangton. As a flash term, or vulgarism, it is highly objectionable; besides which, it implies a disrespectful allusion to property. Money, properly regarded, is a very serious thing, and ought never to be spoken of in terms of levity. You are to recollect that it is a most important bless ing, and although, like any other of a temporal nature, it should not engross our estimation, it is neither to be thought of nor mentioned, slightingly. To talk with lightness and flippancy: on pecuniary subjects argues a ludicrous frame of mind; a disposition to trifle with grave topics; almost, I may say, a constitutional" irreverence. For the future, I entreat you to bear this in mind."q "Yes, sir," responded the pupil; and screening his face with his Herodotus, he made a grimace behind it. but malqzə

Now, really, though it may be a bold thing to say, there was some sense in this little homily of Dr. Plumworth's.

There is,