The pilgrims were much interested in the account they had heard of this young man and his relatives, and soon after it was given them, the Evangelist brought him and his new parent to spend a day at the house of the shepherds; and a day of enjoyment it was to all parties, for they liked both the guests quite as much as they expected they should from their good friend's description. The elder one inspired a reverential feeling of esteem in all who knew her well; and, what was remarkable, her advanced years served only to give her a more venerable aspect, without at all diminishing the beauty of her countenance. Her adopted son, who was truly attached to her, appeared quite free from that covetousness and worldly-mindedness which was ever the besetting sin of his own immediate relatives.

And now was the marriage of Luke and Myra nearer at hand than they either of them imagined when they first arrived at the mountains. It was hastened by Luke's old friend, the Evangelist, saying to him one day,

"If you remember, when we last met at the Palace Beautiful, I arrived just in time to unite your dear sister to her cousin Paul, and now I think I am come equally opportunely to perform a like

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office for her brother and his beloved. What think you?"

"Indeed," replied Luke, smiling, "I am very willing to think as you do."

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Well, then," said his companion, "you must get a third person, of no small importance, to be of our opinion, and then command my services. Though I believe," continued he, "that our good hosts here have, not unfrequently, performed the sacred ceremony for some of their neighbours, you would perhaps prefer, for old acquaintance' sake, the same hand that officiated in the former union."

His grateful auditor assured him that he would, and, as may be supposed, was not long in acquainting his faithful Myra with the foregoing conversation, and gaining her consent to the proposition, and in the following week they were married. The kind shepherds made a feast on the occasion, and each bestowed his blessing on the youthful couple. Mrs. Church and Isaac were invited to the wedding, and the former placed on the head of the sweetlooking bride a garland of flowers culled from the cottage garden, composed of blue and white violets, primroses, daisies, small rose-buds, and forget-me

not.

Shortly after this event the now doubly united pilgrims prepared to take their departure, but before they left the hospitable dwelling of the friendly shepherds, they were taken to see those rarities of the place usually shewn to visitors; added to which was one of later date than the time of Christian's or Christiana's pilgrimage, being of the nature of that clever invention called the camera oscura (or dark room). They were taken by the shepherd Knowledge into a small circular chamber, in the centre of which was a round table, quite white the only light admitted was from the top, and it fell through a small aperture exactly on this table, which, when they had entered, and the door was closed, appeared no longer a blank, but represented a moving picture. When they drew round and examined it closely, the shepherd asked them what they saw?

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I see," answered Luke, a large flock of sheep and lambs walking up a rugged road, and each of them wears round its neck a collar, made like a chain, to which are attached rings of various sizes, some larger than a penny piece, and proportionately thick; some of the collars have many, others fewer of these, but none are entirely without them."

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"Right," said the shepherd; "and do you see any thing more?"

Luke. There are some large brambles growing by the road-side.

"Oh!" cried Grace, "and I see, crouching behind the brambles, an ugly dragon, with a long hook in his hand, like a hideous spider behind his web!"

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And see!" said Paul," he has just hooked that poor sheep by the largest ring of his collar, and is pulling him towards him."

"And now," said Myra, "he is putting the unfortunate animal into a large net on his left-hand side, which I did not see at first."

"Pray, sir, will you explain to us the meaning of this?" asked Grace.

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Willingly," answered Knowledge. "The sheep and lambs represent mankind, old and young; the collar round the neck of each is original sin, in which all the race of fallen Adam are born, and the rings hanging thereto are their actual and besetting sins, more or less strong, as you see. The dragon, you doubtless perceive, is the devil, who conceals himself close to the flock, though they observe him not; sharply he watches every individual of them, 'seeking whom he may devour,' and their most easily

:

besetting sins he uses as so many handles to seize them by. Some he takes with little or no resistance on their part, for they are equally unconscious or careless of the presence of their enemy as of their own collars and rings; but there are other wiser ones, who struggle much when they feel the fatal hook touch them, or see it approach, and then the rings may break off in the conflict, and set them free but this seldom or never happens when they depend on their own strength alone. And see," continued he, looking again on the table, "an instance of this truth: observe that young sheep, scarcely larger than a lamb; his rings are fewer and smaller than those of most of his fellows, yet he seems to feel their weight more than any of the rest do theirs. He trembles with fear, and now he throws himself down on his knees, looking upwards; and not in vain, for behold! there is a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm' coming to his rescue.”

They all looked intently, and needed not to have it explained to them that prayer is the most effective means to bring to our aid that GOOD SHEPHERD, who was never known to turn a deaf ear to any of his flock, who humbly call on his name "in spirit and in