TIMOTHEUS AND PHILEMON.

(Continued from p. 195.)

CHAPTER II.

THE STOLEN CHILDREN.

FTER the mother's death, living in the town was very sad for the father and his two little sons. About six miles off, near a large village, he had a beautiful countryhouse. Thither he now

retired. Here he hoped

to be able to devote himself fully to the education of his children. He had them always with him, not only at meals and during his walks, but also when he sat working at his desk they remained in his study, learning their lessons, writing, or playing. Notwithstanding all his business he devoted at least two hours a-day to their instruction. Here in the country he was their only teacher. He prayed with them every morning and evening; every Sunday and festival he went with them to church; he read with them at home the Gospel for the day, and spoke to them about it. When they walked with him in the garden and in the fields, he drew their attention to the beauty of the works of God.

These two dear boys were now, after the death of their mother, his only joy. They loved him with their whole soul, and obeyed the slightest sign he gave them. His hopes for the future of these noble boys soothed in some degree his sorrow for the loss of their never-to-be-forgotten mother. But soon a new and greater trial befell this excellent man.

Every week his business obliged him to go twice into the town; one day he had to make an extra journey thither, as he had an important affair to settle with several

merchants. He tenderly took leave of the two boys, and commended them to the care of their nurse, a pious and elderly person, and promised to return early in the evening. The boys accompanied him to his horse. He kissed them once more, jumped on his horse and galloped off. Before the beautiful country-house was a large green lawn, in the centre of which stood a few shady trees, round about them were flower-beds and shrubs. A wide, wellgravelled road encircled this oval lawn. This was the play-ground of the two boys; they jumped about in the beautiful green grass, and played at ball or at horses in the gravel road. They used also to listen to the happy song of the birds who had buil their nests in the trees.

While the two boys were this day walking round the flower-beds, they saw close to a rose-bush, and just under a large figtree, an overturned flower-pot, from the rim of which a piece had been broken off. "The flower-pot does not belong to this place,' said Timotheus; 'the gardener ought to have cleared away such broken rubbish.' Philemon took up the flower-pot in order. to remove it. But how astonished both boys were when they beheld a bird's nest inside it. Five little birds were loudly chirping and opening wide their little yellow beaks. This is a robin's nest, said Timotheus; 'look, there is the old bird flying anxiously round; it thinks that we want to take away its young.'

much pleased at this, and Timotheus said, 'It is just as our father told us; these birds build their nests in low shrubs, or in little hollows in the earth. In this flower-pot this one has found a much more comfortable Oh! how our father place for its nest. will rejoice when we show him the nest with the five little yellow beaks in it!'

Ah!

that

Just then a well-dressed man, whom they had often seen before doing business with their father, and who sometimes brought them playthings for presents, came up. The boys greeted him in the most fiendly way, and told him of the happy discovery which they had just made. that robin redbreast there!' he said; is not worth much. I could show you another bird's nest which will astonish you indeed. There are ten young birds in it; the old ones always stay in the nest, and are much more beautiful than robins. They sparkle like jewels, and they can sing so beautifully that a nightingale is nothing to them. You have never seen or heard anything like them. There, in the bushes behind your house, such a nest is to be seen. Come with me, I will show it you.'

The boys went joyfully with him. The bushes were only about a hundred yards. distant from the house. When they arrived at the spot they saw another man with two horses. Each of the men hastily seized one boy, and swung him with himself upon the horse. The boys wanted to ery for help, but the men stopped their mouths with a handkerchief, threw their cloaks round them to conceal them, and rode away at a gallop.

Towards evening the father drew near to his house. He was surprised that the boys did not come to meet him, for they had always done so before with cries of delight. There was no one there to hold his horse. He got down and went into the house. All

his people were assembled in the lower room. All were full of sorrow and anguish, and were terrified when they beheld him. 6 What is it? what is the matter?' he eagerly asked.

6 Alas!' cried the nurse, the children are no longer here, and no one knows what has become of them. We have inquired for them in every house of the village. We have sent a whole crowd of people after them to seek for them everywhere in the woods and round the lake, but all in vain!'

'At all events they are not drowned,' said the steward; they have not been near the lake, and in the neighbouring forest one of their little shoes and a cap has been found by the forester; there they are on the table: he also remarked on the soft ground the foot-marks of two horses as far as the high road, then their traces were no longer to be distinguished from those of the many other horses which had passed along that way.'

The father stood deadly pale in the midst of his sorrowing servants. He raised his eyes and hands to Heaven and exclaimed, 'Oh, thou gracious God! I would rather they had been drowned! Then they would now have been with Thee, beautiful angels in Heaven! But stolen-ah! that is terrible. In what danger do they now stand of becoming evil men themselves! Yet, whereever they may be, O God! they are in Thy hands.' He sank down upon his knees and cried with clasped hands,' O God! protect them, preserve them from sin!"

He prayed for a long time, and then, without making any reproaches to his servants, retired to his own chamber. (To be continued.)

FIVE RULES FOR READING THE BIBLE.

1. Read it-read it all-read it often: 2. Search it. 3. Remember it. 4. Love it. 5. Pray over it.