This dressing, applied on a coarse rag, and bound with others of the same description, and far from clean, was at last finished, and the people went away. Mrs. Grey went out also, to tell all that had happened to a neighbour who had not been present. Jessy was at last left in peace, and immediately her thoughts turned to that God, whose presence always seemed to return to her soul when she was left alone. Hitherto, when she had thought of God, it had been with feelings of thankfulness. She had constantly been able to say to herself, God is my best friend. He has, indeed, been to me a 'father of the fatherless.' Whatever good I have received, has either been through his servants, and done for his sake, or from my Saviour himself, guiding me in the paths of righteousness, and thus procuring for me favour, and imparting happiness and peace.' Now poor Jessy was at a loss. She thought of God, but her heart filled, and she could only weep. Had God forsaken her?" Jessy did not yet know that the children of God must learn to trust in him at all times, both when his dispensations give them joy, and when he sees fit to chasten and to try them. Jessy's Bible was always kept in a little chest close by her bed. She now took it out, and opened it to look for a text which came into her mind; but the exertion of stretching out of her bed made her leg so excessively painful, that, for a little, she could at

tend only to it. When it got somewhat less uneasy, she began her search, and after some time spent in it, she found the text she wanted. It was this, 'Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' Jessy read the account given of Job's afflictions, and wondered how little she had ever cared to read it before. When she had read of all that the Lord suffered to happen to this still beloved, and highly approved of servant, she almost smiled on remembering, that, a few minutes before, she had thought God had forsaken her, because he had suffered her to fall into a comparatively trifling affliction. Her mind became calm and easy, and when the mind is so, pain is not half so ill to bear. When we can say, It is my God, my Father, my Refiner, who has sent this, in order to purify my soul, and prepare me for himself,' we can much more easily endure the sharpest suffering, and feel willing to love and kiss the hand that afflicts us for our good. We know that He does not afflict willingly,' but because it is necessary for us.

During some days, Jessy was subjected to a great deal of suffering, from the manner in which her mother showed her anxiety for her recovery. To every person who came in, she must uncover and show poor Jessy's wound. Thus the dressing was taken off many times in the day. Besides this, a great variety of remedies were tried,

This

so that, at the end of a week, Jessy was in greater pain than she had been even at first. continued for some time longer, till at last the wound assumed a very unfavourable appearance, and Thomas Grey, who had, while serving as a soldier, himself been wounded, and confined to an hospital, and by that means knew what were considered bad symptoms, went himself to the Dispensary, and begged a doctor to come and visit his step-daughter. Had this been done at first, poor Jessy might have been saved much. When the doctor came and saw the wound, he seemed really sorry for Jessy, said she must be suffering dreadfully; and when she answered him with a smile on her now pale, young face, that she did not always suffer very much, he turned away quite moved. He looked for an instant round the disorderly apartment, into which two women had followed him, from curiosity, to hear what he would prescribe, and then said in a low voice to Jessy, I am sure you cannot be properly attended to, or kept quiet here; would you have any objection to going to the Infirmary?"

'Should I be in quietness there, Sir?" asked Jessy.

'Perfectly so, and every thing done to give you ease.'

O! if it is quiet, I should like well well to go,' replied Jessy, earnestly.

woman, your daughter would me much better in the Infirmary, where she could be properly attended to, than here.'

In the Infirmary!' repeated Mrs. Grey; ' My bairn in the Infirmary! Never. Attended to! I am sure I do nothing but attend to her! and there is not a friend I have, or one of the neighbours, who has not come to ask for her, and see her sore leg, every day since she got it. ed to, indeed!'

Attend

But that is the worst thing possible for her, my good woman,' replied the doctor mildly. You intend it for kindness, but your girl ought to be kept perfectly quiet, and see no person but the one who attends her; that would be difficult here, as I see you have articles for sale at your door, and must be constantly coming and going; so I really think you had better allow your daughter to go where she may be kept as she ought to be.'

Mrs. Grey seemed at a loss for a reply to this mild remonstrance; but a neighbour whispered something to her, and then she said, ' Sir, if you want Jessy to go to the Infirmary, because you think it is too much trouble to come here and see her, I must just try to get another doctor; but go to the Infirmary Jessy shall not.'

6

O mother!' said Jessy, how can you speak that way. I am much obliged to you, Sir, for being so kind as to come.'

'I shall prove to you, woman,' said the doctor, ' that it is not to save myself trouble I have made this proposal: but if you continue to undo the dressings of this wound, I must just tell you, that you have more to answer for than you are aware of.' He then, in a manner that, compared to the usual one, gave Jessy scarcely any pain, dressed the sore, and after again charging Mrs. Grey on no account whatever to meddle with it till he returned, left the house..

When Thomas Grey returned at night, his wife soon told him, that the fine doctor he had sent, had proposed Jessy's going to the Infirmary. 'Well,' replied Thomas, 'I am sure she would be far better there than here.'

If she was your own child, Thomas, you would not say that.'

If it was my ownself!' replied Thomas, with one of his oaths, I would say it. Have I not been in an hospital, and do I not know that it is a far better place to get any thing healed in, than this disorderly cellar, that's shaken like an earthquake by every cart that goes by, and that you fill with clattering women from morning to night.'

I wish you could get my mother to let me go, father,' said Jessy. "I am sure I should be far sooner well; and then, mother, you would be glad you had not hindered me.'