" It is long

soon.

had appointed to wait upon them, and above all, hearts tuned to his praise, who thus inclined all hearts to love them, under these circumstances, it was delightful to contemplate them, and the withering hue of age was forgotten. since you came to see us,” said Michael to Margaret; we wish to have you again

Ah, my good young man, we must give that up, I believe, your hill is too much for us ; and when Esther thought, " Ah, they have been to the Brow for the last time,” she walked to the window to hide her tears. But if these good women did not go out, they had plenty of visitors at home, among whom, the most constant, was our old friend Jem Brown : he never forgot the days when his clove-pink was gathered in a wrong spirit. Indeed, this young man, who had in his early days given such pain to his uncle, and all that wished him well, was now exemplary for kindness to his relative, and to those who needed his care; and as they were one day sitting together, I owe you much,” said Jem. “ Mrs. Beal ; never can I forget the lessons I received at your fire, from

you
and
your

excellent husband; he was a good man, wise, and mild.” Ah, we shall soon meet again."

Then,” said James, you do think we

6

shall know one another?” 6. To be sure I do,” said Margaret; “ “ those who sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him again.' * I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me,' says David. And was not Lazarus in Abraham's bosom? And are we to suppose that the thief upon the cross was the only one with Christ in Paradise ? Surely not. No, no, James Brown, depend upon it, we shall all meet together, we shaïl all appear before his judgmentseat; and those who trust in him here, and live to his glory, they will join in the same song in one glorious company, singing, Worthy is the Lamb who hath washed us and redeemed us.' No, no, I will never believe but where knowledge is perfect, we shall have that pleasant knowledge, the knowledge of one another. “Ah,” said James, “it is very pleasant to think of meeting, when we know that our friends have loved the Lord Jesus. But, Mrs. Beal, suppose my father had not been a good man, and suppose I should miss him ?” “ Ah, James, such knowledge

" is too wonderful for me, I cannot attain unto it, child ; I don't know how you find it, but I am often obliged to stop in the midst of all my inquiries, and to say,

Lord, thou knowest," and again, ‘ he doeth all things well.' But here,” said Margaret,

I

in her usual arch manner, when she was about to say any thing she thought conclusive, “I am thinking that he who has brought me through all my life in peace and safety to the present hour, is worthy of all my trust and confidence, and with him I am ready to leave what I am too weak to understand."

“ Mrs. Beal, you are sure to be in the right, and I know for why; because you put your trust in him who never fails to satisfy the soul that relies on him.”

Why, James Brown, I think I am on the safe side.”

“ That you are indeed,” said James. These intimate conversations made James's little visits to his neighbour so pleasant, that he was always dropping in when he had a spare half hour. It lay in his way home, and had it not, he would have made a curve to visit the cottage of his early friends; and often has James seen the neat Peggy with a small basket of Brownrigg's grass, or his little dish of peas carefully saved and exhibited, we must own, with somewhat of pride, before any one in the parish could get them. He would often say, “Mine is a small concern, but it is well looked after, and ye see I can have my peas before the rector.” This harmless vanity offended no one but the Scotch gardener; he thought it reflected on his care.

As for James Brown, he laughed at it, and was glad in his heart to see bis old friends so kindly attended. But he noticed the little Peggy: her very neat appearance, her costume, not at all like that of the modern maid-servants, but after Brownrigg's own notions of propriety and cleanliness. “ Well,” said James,

“ if I ever do marry, that girl shall be my wife, if she will have me.

But he was aware of one thing, that Mr. Brownrigg would hardly consent; and there was another subject on which he was not quite certain, Was she a Christian? Of this he was uncertain; he knew that Betty Smith was fond of her; he often saw them come out of church together, and once he overheard her talking about the sermon to Betty; he thought these were good signs, and he was disposed to notice every thing favourable ; but we are happy to add, he determined to make this part of the matter quite sure before he opened his mind.

It was in one of his visits to neighbour Beal's cottage, that Peggy came in with a very nice chicken and some brocoli, and she blushed and curtsied, and looked down when James Brown opened the door to let her out; and after she was gone, James said, “ Mrs. Beal, what a nice girl that . is.” Margaret's eye looked brilliant, and

her brow was curved as she repeated, “ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, James Brown, mind that.' James was about to declare he did not covet, but he coloured up to the ears as red as scarlet; and Margaret could not help laughing at him, and looking very firm upon him, “ I see you have got a conscience, James, an honest conscience, and I am very glad to see it.” James said, “ he was in a hurry,” and slipped off, and it was some time ere he again visited Margaret.

We are pleased to inform the reader how principle went hand in hand with practice in this once wild lad; he had seen

1 the conduct of Michael through every stage, and could not but admire it, and he determined to make it his pattern. He was anxious to have a quiet home that he might call his own; and though his uncle's little cottage was made comfortable by the services of a neighbour, still it was not like having a place with a mistress at the head of it, and he thought it would be better for the poor old man to have some one always at home; in short, his wishes and his duties seemed to agree.

The difficulty lay in how to accomplish this, so he thought he would con